


Charming's Worst Kept Secret

by Harlee_Quinn



Series: Jaxene Universe [5]
Category: Sons of Anarchy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2013-12-29
Packaged: 2018-01-06 13:58:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 25
Words: 218,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1107688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harlee_Quinn/pseuds/Harlee_Quinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jolene Morrow, Clay's kid from a past relationship has loved Jax Teller since she was 10. This is what happens when the SAMCRO Princess finally lands her Prince of Charming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Club

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy or any of Charming's colorful citizens, except for those born in my imagination (such as Jolene Morrow and other OCs that may pop up later).**

* * *

Entering the convenience store, Jax took an abrupt step back as some no-neck jock, all decked out for a Friday night, nearly knocked him over on his way to the counter with a six pack of beer.

Usually, Jax didn't take kindly to assholes knocking into him without excusing themselves, but he was road-weary and bone-tired. His week-long run to Reno had him partied and pussied out. All he wanted was a pack of smokes and some aspirin to ease the pounding in his head. Hopefully, he'd be clear-headed enough to at least act like he was present, mentally as well as physically, during Church later tonight.

"Hey, Doug," The jock pushed into his Doppelganger buddy already standing at the counter as he dropped the six pack in front of Louise, the weekend cashier. "This shit hole has no Jäger and no Red Bull, man. I told you we shoulda picked that shit up in Oakland."

Doug, who had a cell phone pressed to his ear, waved his friend off as he continued his conversation with whoever was on the other end of the line.

"Two miles east, then a left onto the I-22. That's what I did." Doug said into the phone. "What interchange? Babe, you never mentioned an interchange before." From the sound of it, douche bag and friend were heading towards Charming.

"Stupid bitch," The asshole that had bumped into Jax muttered under his breath. "No wonder we got lost. The dumb hick gave you the wrong directions."

Doug glared at his friend. "We stopped for gas but should be there within the next 30 minutes."

"Yeah, and be ready to go or we're rolling without you," The asshole said, hoping he was loud enough to be heard on the other end.

Hanging up, Doug turned on his friend. "Frankie, I swear, you mess up this up for me and I will make sure Angel never sells weed to you again."

"What the fuck, man? Why you getting all bent over this bitch? I thought you said she was an easy spread." Frankie said, pulling out his wallet. "Dude, don't tell me I came all the way out to bumblefuck and I've got no chance of getting some pussy 'cause whether she's up for it or not, at the very least, she's gonna suck my dick." He warned.

Although he had no clue who the pair was discussing, douche bag here, in the expensive designer slacks, blond spiky highlights, and way too much aftershave, was making Jax's skin crawl. Trash talking with your buddies was one thing, but this bullshit was bordering on something unseemly.

"Hey," Jax said as he reached between the two jocks and slammed a bottle of Excedrin on the counter. "Easy on the language, bro. I'm sure the lady here's not interested in hearing your plans for the night, so why not just pay for the beer and get going." It wasn't a question.

"And what the fuck are you gonna do if I don't?" Frankie said, turning around a moment too late to keep the words from tumbling out of his mouth as he caught sight of Jax and his cut.

Jax quirked an eyebrow at him. "I don't think I heard you. You mind repeating that?" Jax flashed him a grin that could easily be mistaken for a snarl. The jock was as tall as Jax and probably outweighed him by a good 30 pounds, but he wasn't anything Jax couldn't handle on his own, pounding headache or not. Even if his butt buddy Doug decided to join the fray.

"Frankie," Doug started, exasperated with his friend and his big mouth. "Just pay for the fuckin' beer and let's go."

"You should really listen to your friend there," Jax advised. " _Frankie_." He added menacingly.

Catching the unmistakable glimpse of blood lust in Jax's eyes, Frankie quickly dropped a twenty on the counter and grabbed the beer. "Keep the change." He said to Louise as he took great care to walk past Jax and out the door, followed closely by the apparent brains of the operation, Doug.

"Assholes," Louise muttered under her breath as she picked up the money and stuffed it into the cash register.

"Were they giving you a hard time, sweetheart?" Jax asked as Louise handed him a pack of smokes without Jax even having to ask. "Cuz it sounds like I may have home court advantage. I can rough 'em up for you on my way home." He winked at her with a smile as he lit a cigarette.

Louise felt herself get lightheaded but then remembered that brains needed oxygen to function, and started breathing again. As corny as it may sound, the always polite and incredibly hot biker was breathtaking, especially when he flashed his pearly whites in her direction. Jax Teller had been coming into the Circle S at least once a week since she started working there a few months back and this was the first time he had openly flirted with her. Louise bit her lip. At least she hoped he was flirting with her.

"Nah," Louise shook her head, the curls in her strawberry blonde hair bouncing. "They're not worth it. Although, I have to say, Seattle has really changed your sister."

Jax furrowed his brow at the statement that seemingly came out of nowhere. "My sister? You mean my _stepsister_ Jolene?" He asked and Louise nodded. "What does she have to do with this?"

Louise gestured towards the door. "Those creeps came all the way from Oakland to see Jolene. That's who the dark-haired one was talking to." She explained. "It's always the quiet ones, huh?"

Blinded by rage wasn't just a figure of speech, Jax realized. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to clear the red haze that momentarily kept him from seeing two feet in front of him. He pulled out a wad of cash to pay for his cigarettes. Not seeing and not really giving a shit, Jax peeled off several bills and slammed them on the counter next to his now-forgotten bottle of headache medicine and headed out the door.

* * *

Jax pulled into the T-M parking lot just as the garage was closing for the day. It was dusk and it looked like it was gonna be a warm and clear night. Just the perfect kind of weather to serve as a backdrop for the after-Church activities of a typical Friday night at the Clubhouse. The nice weather drew them out like flies and the parking lot was already crowded with hang-arounds and croweaters, some on foot and others on bikes or riding in cages. He had caught the eye of a group of half-dressed sweetbutts, who after a week, were itching to get their hands on him. Instead of parking his bike in his usual spot, and within their reach, Jax stopped his bike in front of Gemma, who was sitting with Luann on the picnic table, sharing what appeared to be one of her "medically-prescribed" cigarettes.

"Hey, Jax, welcome home," Gemma smiled at her son. "Just in time, too. Clay called Church to start in about 5 minutes."

"Have you seen Jolene?" He asked, at the moment not giving a flip about Church. "I stopped by the house and she wasn't home."

"That's cuz she was here," Luann replied. "We gave her a makeover. See? Doesn't she look gorgeous?" She handed Jax her digital camera with a picture of Jolene on screen.

Jax swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. Jolene was dressed to kill in a short skirt and a pair of fuck-me stiletto heels that made her legs look like they stretched for miles. She looked hot and totally fuckable. _Shit_ , Jax cursed, hating himself as he fought the image of him running his hands through her tousled mane of black curls, as she wrapped those long legs around his waist.

"Where is she?" Jax hastily handed the camera back to Luann.

"She left close to an hour ago," Gemma responded.

"Fuck!" Jax pounded his fist on the handlebars of his bike. If he hadn't gone to the house first, he would have made it in time to catch up to her.

"Is something wrong, Jackson?" Gemma asked, somewhat perplexed by the urgency rolling off her son.

"You let her go to Oakland, on a Friday night, dressed like that?" Jax accused, incredulously. "I know she's not your daughter but damn, Mom, I thought you at least gave a shit about her."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Gemma nearly choked as she exhaled the smoke from her last toke and handed the joint back to Luann. "And what the hell are you talking about? She's on her way to Lodi for some family dinner with Donna and her parents."

"Really? Dressed like that?" Jax asked, sarcastically. "Did you even talk to Donna's folks?"

"She's 17, Jax and spent the last 6 months living in Seattle with her piece of shit mom, managing to survive intact. I think it's okay if I choose to trust that she's telling me the truth." Gemma replied, a little hurt and confused by the look of utter disappointment and disgust in his eyes.

"Well, she's not," Jax insisted. He jumped off his bike and, walking away from his mother, pulled out his cell phone. Scrolling through his outgoing calls, he found Donna's number from the last time Jolene had used his phone to call her friend.

Not surprisingly, Donna was home.

When she denied knowing anything about Jolene's plans for the night, Jax started to wonder if maybe Jolene knew exactly what she was getting herself into. Maybe this wasn't the first time she hooked up with two guys at once. The thought made him sick to his stomach and not in a brotherly way either.

Even though Jolene had come back from her mom's as someone he barely recognized, physically as well as emotionally, he knew she was still the same girl who believed they were destined to be together. Jax had never discouraged her crush on him and, although he had come close to not caring that she was his stepsister more than once, he had never taken advantage of her either. Amidst the nameless and faceless croweaters eager to throw their skirts up for a patch, the feelings Jolene had harbored for him since she was ten took Jax back to a time when he hadn't been so jaded when it came to the opposite sex. He wouldn't necessarily call Jolene innocent, not after having seen and experienced so much growing up in the MC world, but she had always seen the man behind the patch and that was something he couldn't remember experiencing before. Too bad she was still jail-bait.

Once Jax explained his gut feelings that Jolene might find herself in the kind of trouble she may not be able to handle on her own, Donna gave Jax as much information as she had.

"I knew something wasn't right with those two," Donna started, feeling guilty that she had bailed on her friend at the last minute. "I'm not saying I think they're serial killers or anything but they're definitely douche bags. They think they're better than us, especially after Jolene told them about growing up with an MC."

"Is she dating one of them?" Jax asked, remembering how the one named Doug had called Jolene 'babe' over the phone.

"Oh Hell's no!" Donna exclaimed. "I know Doug likes her but he is so not her type, Jax. Jolene just needed someone to show an interest in her and distract her from—" She stopped abruptly.

"From what, Donna? Distract her from what?" Jax asked, growing more desperate to hit the road with each word she spoke.

He heard Donna sigh heavily. _What the hell?_ She thought. _It's not like it's a secret._

"From you, Jax." Donna admitted, and hearing someone else confirm what he already knew had Jax's heart pounding in his chest. "She came back from Seattle convinced that things would be different between the two of you, but she's been a hot mess ever since the streams. She was confused and hurt when you took off without telling her. Thinks she turned you off by pushing too hard."

 _Shit! Donna knows_.

The streams. _Jesus Christ!_ In a moment of weakness, Jax had convinced himself to forget Jolene was his stepsister and that she was 17. He wanted her as much as he knew she wanted him and Jax had come so close to bending her over his bike. He had to physically restrain himself from letting it go that far because she didn't deserve that. Jolene wasn't a sweetbutt, so he had pushed her away, telling her he was incapable of giving her what she wanted. That he would probably just end up using her and he cared too much about her to let himself hurt her like that. He then proceeded to spend days on end ignoring her, as much as humanly possible. When that stopped working, Jax took off for Reno, for a week spent knee deep in weed, booze, and hookers, all in an effort to get Jolene out of his system. Truth was, all he managed to get out of that week was a sore dick and the realization that he did care about her the way she wanted and that he felt no guilt for feeling that way either. His only regret was stopping himself at the streams.

He had been an asshole for taking her up to the streams in the first place. _Target practice my ass_. Even though it had been her idea, Jax had known exactly what would happen once they got there.

"Any idea at all where they might have gone?" Jax asked.

"Last time I spoke to her, they hadn't finalized any plans," Donna replied. "But Doug had mentioned some club in Oakland called Leverage he wanted to take Jolene to and she thought they might end up there."

"You have the address?" It wasn't much but it was a start, Jax thought.

"No," Donna said. Jax cursed out loud and quickly apologized. It wasn't Donna's fault she had more sense than Jolene and had kept her ass home. "If you give me a minute, I'm sure I can find it. Hold on." She said and Jax could hear her tapping away on a keyboard. "1121 Madison Street, between Edes and Hegenberger. I hope that helps."

"That's great," Jax was heading back to his bike. "Thanks, Donna."

"Sure thing," She replied. "Hope you find her fast. Have her call me."

Jax tried calling Jolene's cell phone and fought the urge to throw a punch when it rang and went to voice-mail again. Shoving his pre-pay into the pocket of his jeans, Jax climbed onto his bike and started the engine.

"Hey, Jackie Boy!" Chibs called out to him from the Clubhouse door. "Where ya goin'? Church is like now."

Clay was sure to pitch a fit if he missed Church for a second week without a legit excuse. Although Jax had one, he didn't think it wise to share this bit of Intel with Clay just yet. SAMCRO Pres or not, he was still Jolene's father.

"Something came up that needs taking care of." Jax replied over the roar of his bike.

"Everything ok, brutha?" Chibs let the door close behind him. "I can take the ride wit ya." He offered.

"Thanks, bro. I need to handle this on my own." Jax replied before ripping out of the parking lot and heading towards the Interstate leading to Oak-Town.

* * *

Jax rode by the club twice before deciding to finally park his bike and head inside. From the look of those crowding the sidewalk, eager to get in, making it past security at the door might be easier said than done. Leverage did not appear to be a biker-friendly establishment but Jax wasn't the type to take rejection in stride. If there was a chance Jolene was inside, he was getting in, 500 lb. bouncer or not.

With his usual swagger, Jax broke through the crowd and approached the doorman with confidence. "I need to get in." Jax stated simply.

The nearly 7-foot burly bouncer with skin the color of milk chocolate looked down his nose at Jax and smirked. "I think you might be lost, Blondie. The biker bars are on the west side."

"I'm not here to party, man." Jax replied. "Or to cause trouble," He lied.

"Alright, but you still need to get on line with the rest." The bouncer advised, pointing him in that direction.

"You don't understand. I'm going in," Jax started, slipping his hand into his cut, causing the bouncer to jump back, reaching for the holster under his bursting-at-the-seams suit jacket. "Whoa, relax," Jax said, putting his hands up. "Listen, you let me in and not only will I be saving your job but I might be able to keep you from going back to Chino. To sweeten the deal, I'll even throw some cash your way."

"What the fuck you talkin' 'bout, man?" The bouncer laughed as he watched Jax peel several hundred dollar bills from the wad he pulled out of his cut.

"Well, first, you let my 17 year old sister into a club that serves alcohol. If you're down with underage girls getting in, I imagine that you'd let all types of illegal shit find its way inside, too. For a vig, that is. Right?" Jax asked, offering him the cash. "Also, judging from the ink on your hands, it's against the law for felons to pack heat, even if they are working 'security' at some yuppie nightclub. I think it's in both our best interest if you just let me in." He smiled at the glaring bouncer as he reluctantly grabbed the cash from Jax's hand.

"In and out, Blondie. You find your sister and you get the fuck out." The bouncer warned. "You cause any trouble and I will be the least of your problems." He said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at the three equally big and menacing ex-cons serving as his back-up.

"In and out," Jax promised as he walked past the small mountain moonlighting as a human being and into the club.

Taking a moment to adjust to the flashing lights pulsating to the techno music in the otherwise dark club, Jax walked over to the railing running the length of the perimeter. The entrance to the club led to what was actually the second floor, with the dance floor on the lower level. Leaning against the railing, Jax searched the crowd below undulating to the music, moving in hypnotic unison and making the dance floor seem like a living, breathing thing.

The thump-thumping of the shitty music wasn't doing much to ease his headache, which was now mostly confined to the area behind his eyes. "Jolene, where the fuck are ya, darlin'?" He muttered to himself, turning around to scan the area around the bar.

Jolene was currently killing as much time as possible in the ladies room without arousing curiosity. She had applied and re-applied her make-up and fussed with her hair, hoping that Frankie had grown bored waiting for her to come out and had moved on to stalking some other poor, unsuspecting victim. He was such an asshole. Jolene might have had a good time tonight with Doug had Frankie not decided to tag along. Why he chose to be a third wheel after Donna had bailed was beyond her. At the very least, Frankie should have brought a date of his own. The way he kept seeking her out and buying her drinks made her feel like she was on a date with the wrong guy. With Frankie creeping on her, Jolene was ready to call it a night and ask Doug to take her home. Maybe next time, Doug would wise up and leave his wingman behind.

Satisfied that she had wasted enough time, Jolene pushed through the crowd hovering in front of the mirrors and left the bathroom, heading down the hallway back towards the bar. So far, no sign of Frankie, who she had to forcibly stop from following her into the ladies room earlier. What an ass!

"Hey, Jolene! Jolene!" Hearing her name being called, Jolene turned in that direction. Doug had finally secured a spot at the far end of the bar and was beckoning her over. Thankfully, he was alone.

"You like tequila?" Doug asked her, loud enough to be heard over the crowd and the music. He had several shots lined up, along with the salt and lime.

Jolene smiled, thinking of Piney. Old man had been responsible for her introduction to his favorite poison at 14, telling her if she could handle tequila, she could handle anything. Jolene remembered taking the first two shots Piney had offered just fine as Opie and Jax looked on skeptically. Next thing she knew, Jax was holding her hair back as she bowed to the porcelain god in the grungy Clubhouse bathroom. She had developed a tolerance since then, occasionally sharing a bottle with Piney at the bar, right under her Dad's nose. But tonight, courtesy of Frankie, she had had her fill of tequila shots and wasn't in the mood to do any more.

"I think I've had enough to drink for one night." Jolene shook her head. "I wanna go home, Doug."

"What?" He asked, and at first Jolene thought he might not have heard her. "Listen, I know Frankie's laying it on a bit thick but he likes you. The three of us can have a really good time, Jolene. There's no reason to be nervous about it. I've been with two girls before but I've never done a threesome with another dude, so this is new for me, too. You just gotta give in a little. The whole experience might surprise you." Doug explained, as if discussing something as innocuous as the weather.

"Whoa, huh?" Jolene shook her head, hoping to dislocate whatever was keeping her from hearing correctly. Seeing the seriousness on Doug's face, Jolene became incredulous. When had she ever agreed to fuck Doug, much less his douchey friend Frankie, and at the same time no less? "Are you kidding me?" Leave it to her to find a way to get treated like a sweetbutt outside of Charming and by non-bikers, too.

"Told ya she was a dud," Frankie hollered over her shoulder at Doug as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him, his crotch rubbing against her backside.

Jolene pushed him off. "Are you out of your fuckin' mind? Leave me alone!" She growled at him but before she could turn around, Frankie grabbed her again.

"Come on, babe. You've been playing hard to get all night. Give it a rest." Frankie said, breathing into her ear. _Shit_ , Jolene cursed to herself. _Tell me that's not his penis I'm feeling_ , she thought, although she knew it was because she could feel his erection on her ass crack.

"Get off me!" Jolene almost yelled, struggling to pull herself out of his grip while looking at Doug for a little help.

Instead of calling off his buddy, Doug went pale as she saw him mouth "What the fuck?"

Suddenly, and abruptly, Frankie let go of Jolene as she heard glass breaking behind her. Turning around, her wide green eyes grew even wider as she saw Jax holding Frankie by the collar of his shirt.

"I could hear her from 10 feet away telling you to leave her alone, asshole!" Jax growled at him, their noses nearly touching as Jax held him up to his face.

Recognizing Jax from earlier at the convenience store, Frankie wondered if the biker had been stalking them all night as he fought to control his bladder.

"Hey! Hey!" The bartender was banging a small billy club on the bar. "Take that shit outside or I'm calling security." He threatened.

"No problem." Jax replied, as he dragged Frankie by his Armani shirt towards a side exit.

Knowing that the cops would soon follow if Jax proceeded to beat the living shit out of Frankie outside, Jolene lunged towards him, grabbing Jax by his tattooed forearm.

"Jax, stop." She pleaded with him. "Please." Last thing she wanted was to get him into trouble for protecting her from some self-entitled rich kid asshole.

Jax glared at Jolene, wondering why, for fuck's sake, she was keeping him from turning the prick that had her nailed to the bar into a grease stain on the sidewalk outside. Had he just interrupted some stupid sick game between the two of them?

Confused and taken aback by the look Jax was giving her, Jolene crossed her arms over her chest and glared back. "You got something to say, say it." She demanded.

Jax let Frankie go with a shove, which, after having had one too many tequila shots, Frankie was unable to recover from and he tumbled onto the ground. He stalked towards her and, with Jolene standing her ground, towered over her. "I have plenty to say," Jax almost growled. "But first, I'm taking you home." He said, reaching for her arm, which Jolene pulled out of his grasp.

Her gratitude for having Jax save her ass from Frankie had turned into confusion, which was now quickly approaching Jolene losing her shit. He was putting her through an emotional ringer. First, after telling her he wanted nothing to do with her, he had disappeared to Reno without warning, leaving her completely confused as to what the fuck had happened between them at the streams. Over a week later, he pops up out of nowhere, in Oakland, acting like a jealous boyfriend. _Pick a side, Jax!_ She wanted to scream at him.

"No," She said calmly, causing Jax to look at her like she had lost her damn mind. "I have a ride home."

Jax laughed, but there was no joy in the sound coming from deep in his chest, in his demeanor, or his eyes. For a second, Jolene sobered up and let common sense take over. The wise thing to do would be to just let Jax take her home.

But common sense hung around for a fleeting moment, then it left the fucking building.

"I'd rather take my chances with Frankie than be anywhere near you." She practically spit out.

Jax was shaking his head. "You know, I learn something new about you everyday." He smirked at her. "If gang banging's your thing, darlin', there was never a need to take it outside Charming."

Her sharp intake of breath was enough to let him know that he'd let his anger take it too far. If he could, he would've snatched the words right out of thin air.

Having recovered his composure from the initial shock of seeing the menacing biker again, Doug approached Jax and Jolene. "I'll take you home, Jolene." He offered. Jolene fought the urge to turn around and kick him in the nut sack.

"Fuck off!" Jax broke eye contact with Jolene and glared at college boy. "Unless you and your buddy want to carry your dicks home in a bag, I suggest you forget she even exists. I catch a whiff of either one of you again, there won't be enough left over to identify."

Frankie staggered over to Doug. "Dude, don't you get it? She's a white trash biker whore." He started.

Jax lunged for Frankie but Jolene threw herself in front of him, wrapping her arms tightly around his midsection to stop him from going any further. Looking down and making eye contact with her, Jax could see she was silently begging him to let it go. Regardless of whether it was true or not, it wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last, she'd ever heard those words used to describe her.

Frankie drunkenly laughed. "See? She's not worth getting your teeth knocked out for. Let's go." With a slight shake of his head and a smirk on his face, Doug threw his hands up in surrender and backed away.

Confused by the heady mix of emotions, alcohol, and the angry heat emanating from Jax, Jolene pulled away from him and watched in stunned disbelief as her date and his creepy friend disappeared into the crowd. Realizing she had just been left behind to deal with a pissed off Jax, Jolene turned on her heel and attempted to walk away. Having spotted two of the doorman's buddies heading their way, Jax grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the nearest exit. They ended up in a deserted alley at the opposite end of the parking lot. Once outside, he let go of her arm as she angrily yanked herself out of his grip and started walking towards the street.

"Where you going?" Jax called out. Ignoring him, Jolene continued walking away. With flared nostrils and his temper barely under control, Jax caught up with Jolene and grabbed her arm again. "I'm taking you home." He growled as she stopped and spun around to face him.

"I'd rather walk through Hell covered in gasoline!" She ground out through clenched teeth. Jolene squirmed, trying to free herself from Jax's grip but he only tightened his hold on her arm, causing her to gasp in pain. "Jax, you're hurting me!"

Surprised by how angry he was and by the fact that he had let his anger get the best of him by hurting her, Jax loosened his grip but did not let go. "It'll stop hurting once you get your ass on my bike. Now, move." He demanded as he pulled her in the other direction, towards the parking lot.

Having had her fair share of drinks before Jax had shown up made walking on Gemma's stiletto heels quite a chore. Stumbling several times as she tried to keep up with Jax, Jolene stopped dead in her tracks, refusing to move another inch. He could break her arm if he wanted to but she wasn't going anywhere until she got some things off her chest.

"When did you become such a prick, Jax?" She asked with no venom or malice. Jolene honestly wanted to know. He still looked like the man she believed she was destined to love since she was ten years old, but the cruelty he had been treating her with lately was new.

"I'm supposed to answer that?" Jax questioned sarcastically.

"I wish you would 'cause I have no idea what I've done to make you hate me." Jolene responded, blinking repeatedly in an effort to keep herself from crying.

Jax clenched his jaw as he fought the urge to wrap his arms around her. "I don't hate you, darlin'," He said in a near whisper.

"You're lying." Jolene replied. "After what happened at the streams, you couldn't wait to get as far away from me as possible."

Jax nodded. "That's because I needed to get away, Jolene. After what happened, I couldn't trust myself around you anymore."

"Why, Jax? Do you want me?"

Jax hesitated. "You know I do." He finally replied. "I want you so bad, but it can't happen." He warned.

"Why not?" Jolene took a step towards Jax, causing him to step back. He couldn't chance feeling her hands on him, not after admitting how much he wanted to be with her.

"We've been through this before, Jo. You're my stepsister. Your father's my MC's Pres. You're not a sweetbutt. You're 17 and I'm not. Take your pick." Jax replied. "Whichever one, it can't happen. You belong with someone that's not me."

Jolene looked at him with a furrowed brow. "In spite of how we feel about each other, you'd rather see me with someone else?" She couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice.

"It's not what I want, darlin'," Jax shook his head. "But it's how it's gotta be."

"Then why go through all the trouble of chasing away my date?" She accused, her hands on her hips.

"Those guys were douche bags. You're SAMCRO and I will do anything to protect you. Anybody in the Club would have done the same."

"Bullshit!" Jolene exclaimed. Feeling bold, she approached him. Putting her palms against his chest, Jolene pushed. "This was the alpha male in you protecting your territory."

Jax laughed. "I have no territory to protect when it comes to you, Jolene."

"Okay, if telling yourself that makes you feel better." Jolene wasn't convinced. She pushed Jax again and again, until his back hit the wall, pressing herself against him. "This is how I see it. For some reason, and not the lame ones you're trying to convince me of either, you won't let us happen, so how does it go? If you can't have me, then no one else will. And being the alpha male that you are, you make that happen by scaring away my date and his friend by letting them know your dick's bigger than theirs." She teased, looking up and into his eyes.

Jax locked his gaze with hers, refusing to be the first to look away, no matter how hot she was making him with her breasts threatening to spill out of her top as she pushed them against his chest.

"How would you know how big my dick is?" He challenged, calling her bluff.

Jolene stared at him for a long time before he could see the smile slowly creep into her eyes. "I have some idea, but there's only one way to find out." She replied, her hand traveling down his side and to the front of his pants. Before he could think fast enough to push her away, Jolene grabbed onto his cock through the denim of his jeans.

Jax stopped breathing and watched as the mischief in her eyes was quickly replaced with shock as she gasped, realizing he was semi-hard. With her mouth turning into cotton, Jolene forced herself to swallow as she felt his cock pulsate and almost jump in her hand. Suddenly, there was nothing "semi" about it.

Jax knew he should put a stop to whatever game they always ended up playing. They were only tempting fate by pushing each other to the brink until someone finally blinked. Last time out by the streams had taken all the willpower he had on reserve and Jax wasn't sure he would be capable of throwing on the brakes again.

"See what you did, darlin'?" He teased, knowing they'd already gone too far and not giving a shit anymore.

With the aide of her liquid courage, Jolene quickly recovered her composure. She flashed him a dazzling smile. "What do you want me to do about it?" She dared him.

Jax quirked an eyebrow at her. Shit, that was a loaded question. Either Jolene had no clue what she's getting herself into or she knew exactly what she was doing because there was only one way to respond. Judging by the way she was looking at him, he'd guess it was the latter. Before good judgment could take control, Jax put his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her down onto her knees before him.

Her breathing quickened with excitement and fear as Jolene realized she had not considered that he might take her up on her offer. She loved Jax Teller, but acting like a croweater was probably not a good idea. Even though she realized that this might be his way of testing her, Jolene knew it was more than just a lack of pride that was keeping her on her knees.

Jolene could blame the alcohol for clouding her judgment, but she knew she wanted to do this. She wanted to see his dick, hold him in her hand, and feel him in her mouth. She had caught Jax in a moment of weakness and she may never get the chance again. In spite of not really knowing what the hell she was doing, Jolene decided to go for it anyway.

She looked up at Jax as she rubbed him through his jeans with one hand while the other worked on his zipper. Seeing her on her knees before him brought Jax back to his senses.

"Jo, stop." Jax protested, barely finding his voice. Now it was his turn to breathe heavily.

Jolene shook her head. "No." She said simply as she gently pulled his cock out of his pants.

"Jolene, don't—" Getting some control over himself, Jax started to protest but the words died in his throat as Jolene first ran her tongue down and then up his shaft. "Oh, shit!"

"You really need to relax, buzz kill. I won't bite it off." She said playfully and with more nerve than she actually felt as she stroked him long and slow.

Jax closed his eyes and tried to gather what was left of his willpower. He opened his eyes and instantly forgot what he was about to say as he watched Jolene take him into her mouth, her wide green eyes looking directly into his.

 _I'm an asshole_ , he cursed himself as he groaned.

God, he did not want her to stop, but he had to give her an out. "You don't have to do this, darlin'," Jax finally forced himself to say, his voice a husky drawl.

She made a wet, popping sound as she pulled his dick out of her mouth. "I know," Jolene almost whispered as she continued stroking him with her hand. "Do you want me to stop?" She asked, afraid that maybe her wanna-be croweater act repulsed him.

 _Fuck! Make her stop_ , he chastised himself. She was watching him with her big, beautiful eyes, while biting the bottom lip of the mouth he'd thought about kissing again everyday while in Reno.

He gave her a half smile. "No, I don't." Jax replied. Bending slightly forward, he gently grabbed her by the back of the head and guided her mouth back onto his cock.

Jolene didn't hesitate. Taking him in completely, she worked him with both her mouth and her hand. Jax closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall, listening to the soft noises she was making with his dick in her mouth. He moved his hips and slowly pushed himself deeper down her throat, his hand still on her head. She made a surprised little sound but didn't pull away. Grabbing his hips with both hands in order to brace herself, she continued to stroke him with her wet, moist mouth, her full lips wrapped tightly around his cock.

Humming as she alternated between working him fast and slow, Jolene smiled to herself as she was able to take him deeper and deeper with each one of his thrusts. Gauging from his groaning and his whispered obscenities, she must be doing something right. Not bad for a newbie. The vibrations from her humming made his balls tighten and Jax felt his release quickly approaching, causing his thighs to tremble as he fought for control. He tried pushing her away but she grabbed his hands, intertwining their fingers as he moaned, exploding into her mouth.

The intensity with which he came taking him by surprise, Jax grabbed Jolene and helped her onto her feet. Slamming her into the wall, he took her face into his hands and kissed her long and deep. She responded in kind, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulled him closer to her. Jax broke away from their kiss and buried his face in her neck. Jolene grabbed his hand and guided it to her breast. Cupping the soft round orb his hand, Jolene moaned as Jax pinched her tight nipple through her blouse while nuzzling her right below her ear. Burying her hands in his hair, Jolene tugged his head and guided his mouth back to hers, mindlessly taking the lead as her tongue danced against his. Feeling the first familiar stirrings of an erection threatening to build once again, Jax pulled away slightly. They needed to stop before he hiked her skirt up and pounded her until he made her scream his name.

Jax reached down between them and readjusted himself into his pants before completely pulling himself out of her embrace. The second he did, he wanted to feel her arms around him again.

Jolene was nearly breathless. Biting her kiss-swollen lips, she avoided making eye contact with Jax as he straightened himself out. Realizing what she had just made happen, Jolene felt herself slammed with guilt and shame. Trying to convince herself that she was drunk enough not to remember later what had happened, Jolene knew she had sobered up real fast the moment Jax had coaxed her onto her knees. She was no better than those whores who hung around the Clubhouse but, with the memory of what had just happened already seared onto her soul, she knew there was no going back for her now.

Sensing the sudden uncomfortable tension rolling off her like a wave, Jax grabbed her by the back of the neck and, with his fingers on her chin, gently forced her to look him. He could see the embarrassed remorse in her eyes.

"Hey," He smiled at her. "None of that shit, ok?" Jax leaned in and kissed her mouth softly. Knowing that he had probably just read her mind, Jolene said a silent prayer for the earth to open up and swallow her whole. "You sober enough to hold on all the way back to Charming?" He teased.

Jolene laughed quietly as she felt her cheeks flush pink. "Yeah, I think I can manage." She replied, feeling like a slutty, foolish loser.

"Good," He said. "I kinda wanna keep you in one piece," Jax winked at her, taking her hand in his and leading her towards the parking lot.

Stopping at his bike, Jax let go of her hand and grabbed the helmet hanging from one of the handlebars. "It's been a long night, darlin'," He started. "And by the time we get home, it's gonna feel a hellava lot longer, so we won't talk tonight about what happened back there." Jax handed her his helmet. "But we need to talk, a'ight?"

Jolene's seafoam green eyes glowed wide and luminous underneath the street lamps in the parking lot as she bit her lip before quickly nodding her agreement. She really needed to stop looking at him like that 'cause he'd had enough of his dick doing the thinking for him for one night.

Jax shook his head, smirking at himself as he climbed onto the bike. This wasn't on Jolene. She was 17, for fuck's sake. He had let the monster loose and now he knew he wouldn't be able to contain it anymore.

Feeling like a dirty old man at the ripe old age of 21, Jax realized he had been obsessing over Jolene since her return to Charming. She had come back barely recognizable from the 16 year old tomboy she'd been 6 months ago. If he was completely honest, her physical transformation had definitely been the first change to catch his eye but her new found confidence and sophistication had piqued his interest in more than just her banging tight body. Chronologically, Jolene may be young but croweaters and hang-arounds twice her age had nothing on her when it came to intellect and wit. She was smart, funny, hot, and knew how to fix a carburetor on a knucklehead, a lethal combination as far as Jax was concerned.

After strapping on the helmet, Jolene climbed onto the bike. As awkward as she felt being this close to him at the moment, Jolene knew that ending up as road kill would suck far worse, so she tightly wrapped her arms around Jax's waist before he started his bike and gunned it back to Charming.


	2. The Hangover

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

Except for the absence of blood, the Clubhouse usually resembled a crime scene the day after a Friday night. This morning, however, if an effort was made, some blood could be found considering there had been a few drunken brawls to break up the monotony of a good time last night. Now, as the sun shone through the dusty Clubhouse windows, all that was left were some half-naked croweaters of all shapes and sizes wrapped around or pinned underneath several Sons and a couple of hang-arounds. There were bodies piled on the couches, the floor, and even the base of the stripper pole. Half-empty bottles of booze and food containers were carelessly dumped around the main room, along with a couple of broken chairs, and if Clay saw the huge stain of questionable nature in the middle of the pool table, he'd shit himself. But instead of cleaning up like he was expected to and getting those still sleeping (and not in alcohol-induced comas) out of the Clubhouse, Juice was chewing Jolene's ear off, providing her with a summary of last night's after-Church party.

Jolene had made the mistake of making eye contact with Juice when she had come out looking for headache medicine earlier. A simple "good morning" now had her trapped at the bar, slumped and leaning on her elbows with her head in her hands. Giving a chattering Juice, who was sitting on the stool next to her, a sideways glare, she brought her hands down to cover her ears.

"Juice, please! If you won't shut up, could you at least lower the volume?" Jolene begged, her head pounding. "I'm dying here. Please let it be a peaceful death."

Juice snapped his mouth shut, his feelings a little hurt. Even though, unlike her old man Clay, she wasn't usually this pissy, Juice couldn't force himself to stay hurt for long as far as Jolene was concerned. In a Clubhouse where most of the available women looked rode hard and put up wet, Jolene was something else altogether. Even shooting daggers at him with those incredible eyes she was hot. _And 17_. Juice needed to keep reminding himself of that last part. She had no idea the effect she had on him and kept him at a distance by calling him her "friend." He hated the F-word but for the sake of his top rocker, it was best to keep it that way. Not only was Jolene the Prez's daughter, but anyone with a set of eyeballs knew she was all about Jax, his sponsor. Although Jax could probably get away with hitting that, he wasn't, apparently preferring the company of the regular hang-arounds who have seen better days. Who knew? A lot of shit around here made absolutely no sense.

"Why are you even here this early on a Saturday?" Juice asked, taking a quick pull from his bottle of water. "You look like shit."

Now Jolene was giving him a full-on, green-eyed glare, her lip curled in disgust. His face broke out into his big, goofy grin. He loved yanking her chain. Jolene couldn't look like shit even if she was smeared in it.

"Today is not the day to get on my last nerve, Juice," Jolene warned as she rubbed her forehead. People tended to underestimate her. That's why she was currently doing 400 hours of community service after completing a 4-week anger management program, all in compliance with the terms of her probation. All a small price to pay for taking a steel bat to the last asshole that had underestimated her.

Obviously not having read the memo detailing her bat-shit crazy tendencies, Juice continued his teasing. "Red really is a good color on you," He kidded, indicating her bloodshot eyes. Catching him off guard, Jolene swung her balled up right fist at him, connecting with his shoulder and knocking him clear off the stool. He was lucky they weren't in grade school. Back then, she had been notorious for viciously nut-kicking any boy that teased or bullied her or her friends.

With eerily impeccable timing, Tig and Bobby entered the main room of the Clubhouse just in time to see the Prospect fly off his perch at the bar and land flat on his back at Jolene's feet. Tig stood over him and for a second, Juice thought he was going to be on the receiving end of a stomping courtesy of Tig's heavy boots.

"Get off the floor, you idiot! And get back to work!" Tig yelled, loud enough for a few of the leftovers from last night to stir and stumble to their feet.

Cradling her head once again in her hands, Jolene turned her back on a splayed out Juice. "I warned you," Jolene muffled, as close to an apology as he was going to get in her current state. Taking in a clearly hung over Jolene, Bobby chuckled. The worse thing Chibs could have done was teaching this one how to throw a punch.

"Prospect, when are you gonna learn that pissing off a Morrow, especially a fucked up one, is like poking a bear?" He asked Juice, who managed to jump up off the floor before Tig changed his mind about caving his head in. "No matter how long the stick, it never ends well for the poker, asshole."

"And you're always worrying so much about her." Tig directed at Bobby. "The bitch can obviously handle herself. Booze, not so much." He said with a wink aimed at Jolene, forcing a weak smile out of her before he physically dragged Juice around the Clubhouse by his cut, pointing out everything that needed to be done.

"Coffee?" Bobby offered, already pouring her a mug from the pot on the counter behind the bar. "Almost as good as hair off the dog that bit ya."

"A bullet through my eye would be quicker." Jolene grabbed the mug and took a generous sip, not caring that it was burning a trail down her throat and into her churning stomach.

"Less painful, too." Bobby smiled. "What are you doing here so early, anyway? Weren't you spending the night at Donna's?"

 _Oh, crap!_ She had forgotten about that. "There was a change in plans." Jolene replied in a manner that sounded more like a question, clearly not remembering much after getting back to the Clubhouse.

"I bet." Bobby smiled.

He was little hung over himself but he had been sober enough to remember seeing Jax practically carrying her into the Clubhouse sometime before one in the morning. Bobby had reluctantly extracted himself from the ministrations he had been receiving from some redhead and had stumbled behind them to the dorms. Although Jax was quick to give him a rundown of the night's events, including the two douche bags he personally would have skinned alive, Bobby knew he was leaving shit out. Still, he chose to believe that Jax was an honorable man, in spite of having his hands full of temptation in the form of inebriated pussy with the hots for him. They both agreed that letting Jolene sleep it off at the Clubhouse was better than taking her home and handing her over to a sure-to-be-pissed Gemma. From what Jax had told his mother before heading off to Oakland, Jolene was going to need a head start in case Gemma came looking for her bright and early.

"I would offer to make you breakfast, but tequila and eggs don't mix." Bobby said and Jolene dry-heaved as she looked at him suspiciously. How did he know it was tequila that had fucked her over? "I know what you were up to last night, Kit and it wasn't dinner and a movie with Donna and her folks. You realize you're in the shit with Gemma."

 _That Jax! What a rat!_ "I'm always in the shit with Gemma." Jolene moaned as she rubbed her hands on her face.

"That's only because she's the closest thing you've had to a mother and she loves you."

Jolene shook her head, not at all convinced. "Maybe, but things are definitely different between us now, ever since I came back from Seattle."

"That's 'cause you left Charming a grease monkey tomboy and came back Lolita, the anime version, all big eyes and big tits. She's never raised a daughter, sweetheart and has no clue how to handle that shit. _I can't handle that shit_ and your old man's blinded by denial. What the hell was your mother feeding you up there anyway?" Bobby asked, not seeing the irony in his statement.

Jolene chuckled. It would have been funny if it hadn't been so far from the truth. Her mother had never fed her a hot meal in her life and, unfortunately, that wasn't an exaggeration. The first time Jolene had sat at a proper table to eat food actually prepared for her was when she'd come to live with her dad when she was 6. Those first years, before he had married Gemma, Clay had no idea how to be a father, much less how to raise a daughter. He had depended heavily on Bobby to give him a hand. If she tried hard enough, Jolene could still remember the taste of the Mac and Cheese Uncle Elvis had made from scratch her first night in Charming.

"At least take a shower and try to look somewhat normal before she gets here," Bobby suggested.

Even though her head was pounding and she wanted to kill anyone who spoke above a stage whisper, it wasn't just her hangover that was beating the snot out of her. The tequila still sloshing through her system combined with the dread-slash-giddy anticipation of seeing Jax again had her stomach doing swirlies.

"I took a shower earlier and I think this is as good as it's gonna get." Jolene replied sullenly. "Do I look that miserable?"

"No," Bobby started, unconvincingly. "Not really. I just never noticed a green tinge to your skin tone before, that's all."

"Ugh!" Jolene moaned. Picking up her mug, she drained it of the remaining coffee. Her stomach revolted and it was a close call as it almost came back up. "Hit me again," She said, after fighting it back down. Giving her a skeptical, sideways look, Bobby refilled her mug.

"Did you take anything, aspirin, Alka-Seltzer?" Bobby asked, rounding the bar.

Jolene shook her head. "Couldn't find any."

"If you're gonna hurl, there's the bathroom." Bobby pointed at the closed door near the Chapel. "I'll be back." He said as he headed out to T-M's office for the first aid kit. It was almost 8 am and hopefully, Gemma wasn't in yet.

Drifting off with her forehead resting in her hand, Jolene's eyes flew open as she felt a feather-light touch travel from the back of her head and down her spine. Spinning around on her stool nearly proved to be her undoing as she almost puked and passed out at the same time. Jax's hands quickly grabbed onto her upper arms to keep her steady on her seat and gave her a lopsided grin.

"Do I even ask how you're feeling?" Jax asked with concern and a little bit of a chuckle.

"Believe it or not, I probably don't feel as bad as I look." Jolene replied.

 _Who was she kidding?_ Jax thought. Even hung over Jolene looked way hotter than she had last night, all tarted up by the Porn Queen. With her face scrubbed clean of make-up, her golden skin was tight and unblemished and her damp jet black hair was already starting to curl. She was wearing the ugliest pair of gym shorts he had ever seen and an oversized t-shirt but nothing could detract from the beauty of her long legs or the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra to block his view of that incredible fuckin' rack. If only she knew how close she'd come to feeling him wedged between those creamy thighs last night. Jax didn't know whether to thank Bobby Elvis or shoot him in the knee.

"You remember much about last night?" Jax asked, cutting to the chase.

Jolene looked him straight in the eye, refusing to let herself feel shame for being who she was raised to be and going after what she wanted. "I remember everything." She replied, relieved as she saw Jax's beautiful lips curl into a smile.

No longer looking like she would fall off the stool, Jax dropped his hands and sat down next to her. "That was some pretty crazy shit last night, Jolene. What was that all about?" Jax asked. He was having trouble making and keeping eye contact.

_Does she not know that t-shirt leaves very little to the imagination?_

Knowing what was causing his distraction, Jolene smiled as she straightened up, her chest popping out just a little further. "That was me taking the stubborn-ass bull by the horns."

"The horns, huh?" Jax cocked an eyebrow as he barely managed to tear his eyes away from her tits. "You were a little off, darlin."

"Got the point across just the same." She batted impossibly long eyelashes at him.

"Yeah, that you did." He flashed her a half grin that made his eyes shine.

 _Shit_ , Jolene cursed to herself. _He's beautiful. In a scruffy outlaw kinda way_.

"Too bad you ratted me out to Gemma. It could've been nice, you know." Jolene pouted.

Jax raised an eyebrow. "What's that, darlin?"

"You and me, stupid. Don't even pretend like I didn't make you rethink your position on letting us happen last night. Too bad Gemma's probably kill me once she gets a hold of me."

Jax straightened up. "You're really serious about us? Do you even realize what you would be getting yourself into with me?" He asked.

"I don't give a shit about your ancient history with the whores in this Clubhouse, Jax." Jolene replied. Though they didn't share DNA, she had most definitely inherited her bluntness from Gemma. "Only problem you and I would have is if you treated _me_ like a sweetbutt."

"That would never happen, darlin'." Jax shook his head, his eyes searching her face, down to her boobs, and back to her face.

Jolene locked eyes with Jax. "Then I really don't see a problem."

Jax laughed. "The whole being Clay's 17 year old daughter doesn't register with you, does it?"

Jolene scoffed. "Oh please, there's a don't-ask, don't-tell policy around here when it comes to how young is too young. And growing up around bikers, do you really think my dad believes I'll suddenly develop a taste for John Q. College? You saw with your own eyes how that turned out for me."

 _She has a point_ , Jax reasoned with himself. "You should really consider becoming a lawyer when you grow up. It would save the Club a shitload of money." He teased.

"Ha, ha, when I grow up. Funny." Jolene laughed sarcastically. "You're deflecting with humor because you don't want to admit that I'm finally getting through that thick skull of yours."

"Maybe but first, let me get to my mom before she gets to you." Jax started. "I'm not gonna lie, she's gonna be _pissed_. I need to talk her down from the ledge, tell her everything was fine when I got to Oakland."

Jolene was shaking her head. "I'm dead. I told her I was going to Lodi."

"I can handle my mom," Jax smiled, running his hand over her silken hair. "Go get dressed and we'll go for a ride and talk."

"Talk? Really?" Jolene quirked an eyebrow at him.

Jax shrugged his shoulders and gave her a cheeky grin. "I'm sure there'll be some talkin' involved, darlin',"

Just as Jolene was starting to like the sound of that, she smacked her forehead and lived to regret it. Now her head was pounding in double-time. "Shit, today's Saturday. I'm meeting with my probation officer and then doing six hours with the Habitat people."

"Not a problem," Jax got up from his stool. Dipping his head, he dropped a lingering kiss on her lips. "Do whatcha gotta do. I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

"She lied to me, Jax!" Gemma exclaimed, as she slammed the drawer of the file cabinet in T-M's office, kicking up dust particles and cigarette ashes. "I just can't let that slide."

Leaning against Gemma's desk with his arms crossed over his chest, Jax flashed is mother with one of his patented lady killer smiles. "Yeah, you can." He drawled. "You've done it, I've done it. We've all done stupid shit like that at her age. Considering she's got SAMCRO pumping through her veins, it could've been a lot worse. She's a smart girl, Ma, you know this."

"Yeah," Gemma laughed sarcastically. "She's too damn smart to be acting this damn stupid, and doing stupid shit seems to be a pattern with her lately."

"That's not fair." Jax defended. "Lodi was more my fault than it was hers."

"I know," Gemma glared at her son. "And Clay still won't let me live that little nugget down."

"Well, it's been over a year now and she's been on her best behavior." Jax argued.

"That's cuz she's on probation," Gemma replied. "And since when is lying to me being on her best behavior?" She stood in front of Jax with her one hand on her hip and the other brandishing a file.

"She's never done it before." Jax started, moving out of her way, afraid he'd end up with a file smacking him upside the head.

"That you know of," Gemma interrupted. "And why are you advocating for her so hard, Jax? Did something happen between you two last night?"

 _Shit, she's scary good_ , Jax thought as he fought to keep his poker face on.

"Even you have to admit this is out of character for her. Jolene's a good girl." _Not as good as I know her to be but some things were better left unsaid_ , Jax smiled to himself, as he effectively dodged her question.

Gemma narrowed her eyes at Jax. She threw the file on her desk and folded her arms across her chest, looking at him like she was reading his mind for a play-by-play of last night. That Jolene had lied about where she was going on a Friday night really wasn't the issue with her. Jax was right. She herself had done worse at Jolene's age. It was her son's reaction that was the cause for concern. Either something happened or something was about to happen between those two, of that Gemma was sure. The vibe Gemma got last night from Jax was not that of brotherly concern. It was more like "I'm going to fucking kill whomever she's with."

"Okay," Gemma threw her hands up in the air. "I'll go easy on her only because she's never done something like this before. But I'm holding you personally responsible if that girl goes off the rails before she's legal." She threw herself into her chair and lit a cigarette.

"What? You think I'm capable of corrupting her?" Jax asked, only half joking.

Gemma threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, Jackson, if you haven't already, I know you will, and I'm not even thinking about that bullshit in Lodi, sweetheart. She's been pining away for you since she was barely out of diapers. Now that she's come back from Seattle apparently wearing someone else's body, Jolene's got the goods to back up a claim on you. She's a gorgeous girl, Jax and knowing you like only a mother would, it's not a question of if but when."

Jax tried to read his mother's face. "How crazy would it be for Jolene and me to happen?" He asked cautiously.

"What, now?" Gemma asked and Jax nodded. "It would be insane. There's a Club-wide moratorium on that particular piece of underaged ass and a Clubhouse full of overprotective bikers ready to snap the neck of any fool stupid enough to even try."

"I'm not just any stupid fool." Jax reasoned.

"I know. You're the stupid fool that's never met a pussy he didn't like. For your brothers, it would have little to do with the fact that she's still underage or that she's your stepsister." Gemma explained. "What it'll boil down to is how serious you are about her. Treat her with disrespect, like a sweetbutt and you're gonna have to deal with not only blowback from within the Club but with her father's fury as well. Before you decide to pursue Jolene, and I know you will, you gotta ask yourself the hard questions first and be brutally honest when you answer. What is it that you really want from her? Is it just new pussy or have you finally moved on from the whole Tara situation and are ready for a real relationship?"

Jax glared at his mother. As much as he loved his mom, he resented hearing that name coming out of her mouth. "This has nothing to do with Tara."

Gemma shook her head. "It has everything to do with Tara. If you just want to pass the time with someone new, there are plenty that fill that bill here in Charming," Gemma started, jabbing her hand holding her lit cigarette in his direction. "Take up with Jolene, you better be damn sure you're ready for the real thing again, Jax because breaking her heart for shits and giggles is not an option."

* * *

Jax stepped out of the T-M office and into the bright but cool morning. Lighting a cigarette, he crossed the lot with his usual swagger and approached Jolene, who was heading from the Clubhouse to her car. Her shiny black hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she had changed into jeans, a dark hoodie, and a pair of steel-toed work boots, her usual wardrobe on Saturdays while doing grunt work for Habitat for Humanity. Seeing him come towards her, Jolene couldn't keep the smile from spreading across her face.

"I see you're still in one piece." She observed. "Can I hope for the same?"

Jax shook his head. "No," He teased. "But I am her favorite."

"Good to know. Maybe I'll just get in my car and keep driving." Jolene kidded, but not really. Her dad she could handle. She and Gemma, on the other hand, have not been the best of friends since she left Charming with her barely-there A-cups and came back with Double D's.

Taking a drag from his cigarette, Jax exhaled. "Don't bother. I'll just end up chasing you down again anyway."

"Really?" Jolene asked with a slight smile and Jax nodded. "Whatcha gonna do with me once you catch me?" She winked at him, opening the door to her cobalt blue Mustang.

Holding the door open as she got into the driver's seat, he bent towards her, his face mere inches from hers. "Why tell you when I can show you?" Jax teased, causing chills to run down her spine. "I can give you a ride to Lodi, if you want." He suggested, his voice an intimate whisper.

Jolene lips curled into a slight smile. Looking into his intense blue gaze, she was tempted to say "I want" but didn't, somehow knowing she'd probably never make it out of Charming if she did. "If my probation officer sees me rolling up on the back of your bike, she'll eat a baby. No offense."

"None taken." Jax feigned a pout. "Catch you later." It was meant as a question, but his tone left room for only one response.

Jolene nodded, flashing him with a big smile as she threw on her sunglasses. Jax slammed the door shut and watched as she threw the car in drive and, as usual, pealed out of the lot.

Clay watched as his daughter drove off and approached Jax, slapping him on the back of his cut. Jax turned to face his stepfather, convinced the sexual tension was still hanging heavy in the air.

"Do me a favor 'cuz she listens to you," Clay started, his cigar hanging from the side of his mouth. "Tell her to stop driving like a lunatic. She's got a fuckin' lead foot that one. I'd worry less if she rode a goddamn Harley."

Jax nodded as Clay put his arm around his shoulder and started walking towards the Clubhouse. "Everything okay, son?" He asked with genuine concern in his voice. "You took off for Reno without explanation and you've missed Church two weeks in a row."

Jax was shaking his head. "Everything's fine, Clay. Just needed time away to clear my head of some shit."

Clay stopped, turning to face Jax. "Your mind clear now?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Getting there." Jax replied, as far as he was willing to go.

Clay nodded, chomping on his cigar. "Well, get there and fast because, between you and me, some around here are starting to question your level of commitment."

Jax narrowed his eyes but before he could ask who's ass he was going to end up kicking, Clay continued. "Your mother and I have big plans for you, son, but you can't get to that point without fully committing yourself, without earning it. Otherwise, it's not deserved and it looks like I'm favoring you, and as soon as that seed gets planted, there's no going back. They'll lose respect for the both of us and I cannot lead if I don't have the respect of my brothers, are we clear?"

"We're clear." Jax replied. Clay locked eyes with Jax, who did not waver.

"Good." Clay nodded. "Now, I hope you weren't planning on going to Galt tonight because I need you here."

"Why? What's up?" Jax asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Big Otto's waiting on a call from our port contact in Oakland. The next shipment from Dungloe may be available for transfer to Charming some time late tonight or early Sunday. Otto wants you driving the truck back. So stay local tonight, plainclothes, and keep your pre-pay on and on you at all times. Be ready to go at a moments notice, got it?"

"Absolutely." Jax responded as they started walking towards the picnic table and the group that had congregated there.

"How ya holding up, Champ?" Clay directed at Chibs, who was shadow boxing, showing off his technique.

"I'm chomping at the bit, brutha," Chibs pounded his fist into his hand. "Soon as this fight's ova, I'm burying myself in booze and pussy and don't anyone come aknockin'."

"Man, you bring home that big, fat purse, I'll let ya bang my old lady in my own fuckin' bed!" Tig exclaimed.

"Well, get her ready cuz the odds are definitely in our favor." Bobby started. "The side bets are off the chain. You bring this shit home, not only are we flush for the next three months, but we will definitely be seeing a profit because of it, brother."

"That plus the protection run to Fresno tonight should even us out with Rosen, who's putting the finishing touches on incorporating Bluebird." Clay added.

"Protection run?" Jax asked, hopping up onto the picnic table next to Opie.

"Yep, me and Ope, we were tapped to escort a shipment of high end goods, designer bags, electronics, and whatnot for Unser Trucking." Kyle Hobart explained. "Try and keep up, Jax."

Jax turned to glare at Kyle, who was giving him a look that dared him to say something.

"You got something you wanna get off your chest?" Jax asked, getting off the table.

Kyle was shaking his head, his smug, shit-eating grin plastered firmly on his face. "I'm just saying, you've been AWOL for over a week now, while the rest of us around here pick up the slack, get shit done."

Opie was off the table and blocking Jax from pummeling Kyle in a heartbeat. "Let it go, brother." Opie advised, gently pushing Jax back. "He's just sore 'cuz his old lady has him balls to the wall."

"She kick you out again?" Bobby teased, laughing.

"Fuck you!" Kyle spit out at Bobby but was looking directly at Jax, who returned the look with a defiant smirk.

"You stay at the Clubhouse any longer and we're gonna have to raise your dues, man." Tig laughed.

"Hey! Break up this hen party before someone's feelings get hurt." Clay banged his booted foot on the bench. "Chibs, back in the ring. Tig, get the Prospect out here to spar with him. The rest of you, if you don't have something better to do than bitch at each other, get your asses to the garage and help get rid of some of the backlog." He ordered.

Stepping to the side, Jax cleared a path for Kyle to walk past as they continued to glare at each other. As the Sons dispersed in different directions, Clay fell into step with Jax.

"You see what I was telling you?" Clay asked and Jax nodded, his eyes fixed on Kyle's retreating back, doubts no longer lingering as to who's ass he would eventually end up kicking.


	3. The First Time

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

Jolene had stopped listening about 20 minutes into the lecture. Gemma hadn't seemed to notice and continued going on and on about trust and loyalty and all that happy shit she was always harping on. You'd think that instead of lying about her whereabouts last night, Jolene had sold secrets regarding biological warfare to the Mayans or something the way she was carrying on. She loved Gemma, she really did but something about spending the last six months living with her mother in Seattle had flipped a switch in Jolene. Even though she knew that she shouldn't give anything Valentina ever said to her a second thought, Jolene was having trouble reconciling whether a woman could really love a child that wasn't biologically hers. Her own mother certainly had never loved her. What made her think that Gemma, her stepmother, really gave a shit about her? Granted, this train of thought was the result of seeds planted by her bitter egg donor back in Seattle, who still couldn't get over the fact that Clay had never seen her fit enough to make his official old lady. Or maybe Uncle Elvis was right and the disconnect between her and Gemma was Gemma's inability to deal with her "growth spurt", as her father ever so delicately referred to his little tomboy finally hitting puberty with a vengeance.

Either way, it wasn't a situation that could be fixed with Gemma constantly reminding her how much she's fucked up lately or alluding that Jolene might end up like her mother if she didn't straighten her shit out. When talking about love and loyalty, Gemma seemed to conveniently forget that she herself would have taken a steel bat to the dome of the redneck that had sucker-punched a drunken Jax in Lodi. The asshole had been lucky the cops had shown up when they did or they would have been picking his brain matter off the blacktop of the bar's parking lot with tweezers.

Gemma had stopped fluttering around the T-M office and was now standing in front of Jolene, her hands planted on her hips and a scowl on her face.

"Oh, shit." Jolene muttered under her breath.

"Damn right, oh shit! You haven't heard a word I've said." Gemma accused.

 _Yes, I have_ , Jolene thought to herself, _a million times before_.

"I'm sorry, Gem, I really am—" Jolene started but Gemma stopped her.

"Don't apologize unless you really mean it, Jolene. Sneaking off to Oakland for a night of fun is a serious situation. Not many friends of the Club up there and you could have put yourself into a whole world of trouble, dragging Jax down with you." Gemma chastised.

"I know," Jolene nodded. "And trust me, it won't happen again. I swear."

"I know it won't happen again because until further notice, your ass stays inside Charming, except on Saturdays for community service." Gemma retorted and Jolene's mouth fell open in shock.

"That's not fair," She started. "I graduate in a couple of months. You confine me to Charming and I'm gonna miss out on a lot of senior activities."

"Tough shit." Gemma replied. "Shoulda thought of that before lying to me."

Jolene pouted, even though she knew she was getting off easy. "Did you tell my dad about last night?"

"Are you kidding me? He'd have all our asses dangling over the fire." Gemma responded. "No, you keep your nose clean from now 'til you're 18 and your little road trip to Oak-Town stays between us."

 _Damn, Jax really is the Mom Whisperer_. "Thanks, Gem."

Gemma's face softened. "We've all been there and we've all done some stupid shit. Most are lucky to come out the other end unscathed. Some get lost and never find their way. You're too smart to get lost along the way, baby girl."

Jolene couldn't bear looking her in the face, ashamed of herself for almost letting Valentina's attempts to brainwash her against Gemma take hold.

"So, how about joining Luann and me for a night out? Dinner, a movie?" Gemma offered, gathering her cigarettes, lip gloss, and compact into her clutch purse. Girls' night out. That explains why she's rocking the designer black shirt dress and strappy, heeled sandals.

"Thanks, but I don't want to go to the movies." Jolene replied. She already had plans and they included a certain blonde biker who was currently MIA. "It's been a long day and I'm tired."

Gemma stood at the office door, her clutch purse tucked under one arm, and her other hand on her hip. _Tired my ass_ , Gemma thought. Why shower and change before coming back to the garage after returning from Lodi instead of just staying home in her Pj's, in front of the TV? The answer to that question was at this moment ripping into the parking lot.

"Then come on, I'll drop you off at the house." Gemma suggested.

Jolene shook her head, straightening up in her chair as she too heard Jax's bike outside. "I have my car. Besides, I might hang out for a little bit." Gemma raised an eyebrow and smacked her with a look that said Jolene was full of shit. "Just for a couple of hours." Jolene felt the need to defend herself. "I'll stay off the booze, I promise."

It's not the booze Gemma was worried about. What she wanted to hear was Jolene promising to stay off her son. Not one to mince words, Gemma knew there was just no way around it without making a big stink. Besides, she was conflicted. She didn't hate the idea of Jax and Jolene, the SAMCRO prince and princess, getting together. She just hated the idea of losing both her son and her husband in one night. One to murder and the other to prison.

The garage was closed and he had hoped that his mom had already left for the night but with both Gemma's and Jolene's cars still on the lot, Jax rubbed his hand over his face. Walking into the office, he could very well be stepping into a blood bath.

"Hey," Jax smiled as both women, having been locked in a stare-down, turned to look at him. "What? Did I just interrupt some weird chick moment?" Jax asked, a little unnerved by both sets of eyes on him, one stern and disapproving and the other wide and sparkling and obviously very happy to see him.

Gemma walked up to him, hand still on hip. "No." She replied, giving Jax that I-know-what-you're-up-to look where, even though he was the taller of the two, it still felt like she was looking down her nose at him. "I was just trying to convince Jolene to join Luann and me for dinner and a movie but she declined. Being that she's tired and all."

Jax nodded, thumb and index finger rubbing his mustache in an effort to deflect his smirk. "Probably just a side effect of working on a chain-gang all day."

"Yeah. Right." Gemma drawled. "What's your excuse? Why are you here and not at the fight?"

"I'm working later tonight. Just waiting on a call." Jax shrugged his shoulders innocently.

Shaking her head, Gemma poked Jax in the chest with one ringed-finger. "Whatever's going on tonight, please just make sure she gets home in one piece, okay?" She whispered.

"Always do." Jax smiled cheekily. "Let me walk ya to your car, Mom."

Ah, shit, she knew the implications behind that shit-eating grin of his but Gemma was still helpless in resisting it. Squeezing his cheeks, she gave him a quick peck. Turning to Jolene, who was looking like the cat that swallowed the canary, she blew her a kiss and prayed that the young woman wasn't ovulating.

Poor asshole didn't stand a chance with Jolene. She was all his weaknesses rolled into one tight package. Jax didn't see it coming but he was about to fall. And hard.

* * *

An hour after returning to the Clubhouse, Jax was still sitting at the bar, nursing his second beer and watching Jolene take a fairly new hang-around for all he was worth. So far, the dumb shit was down 200 bucks and was either too drunk to care or too infatuated with Jolene to notice that she was hustling him. After finally getting rid of Gemma, he hadn't brought Jolene back to the Clubhouse with the intention of watching her play pool and Jax was starting to get annoyed.

Bette, a leggy bleach blonde croweater that looked about a decade older than her 28 years, approached Jax. Smiling coyly, she ran her acrylic-tipped fingers over his Men of Mayhem patch to get his attention, currently fixated on Jolene's denim-clad ass as she lined up another shot.

"Your beer gettin' warm, sugar? I can get you another one." She purred at Jax, her heavily made up brown eyes sporting bags and looking a little bloodshot, he noticed distastefully.

Almost as a reflex reaction, Jax flashed her a sexy grin. "Nah, I'm good, doll. That a friend of yours?" He asked, indicating the hang-around.

"Dex?" Bette started. "We were quickly approaching friends with benefits until Princess showed up here way past her bedtime." She said bitterly. Not liking her tone in reference to Jolene, Jax gave her a hard look, his eyes narrow. "Sorry." Bette quickly apologized.

"Soon as they're done with this game, get him outta here, a'ight?" Jax ordered.

"Sure thing." Bette smiled uneasily. As much of a pretty boy as Jax Teller was, he could be rather intimidating with those intense blue eyes trained on you in annoyance. He was probably just trying to protect his stepsister from Dex, the poor schmuck too new to know that Princess Morrow was off-limits without having to kick his ass.

With most of the Club in Galt for Chibs' fight and Kyle and Opie on the Unser protection run, the Clubhouse was pretty light for a Saturday night. With the exception of a few regulars and croweaters milling about, drinking beer and listening to classic rock, it was dead around here and for once, Jax was truly grateful. He had spoken to Big Otto earlier in the day and the VP was sure they wouldn't get the word from their port contact in Oakland until well after midnight. That gave him plenty of time to pinch some alone time with Jolene had she not been sucked into playing pool with this Dex moron.

Sometimes it was slightly disconcerting how much like her old man Jolene was. Aside from a hair-trigger temper, like Clay, she had a knack for the game and found it hard to pass on taking an easy mark to the cleaners. With her angelic face and tight ass used as tools of distraction, these shitheads took her skill for granted, thinking she was just another hot chick who thought she knew the game of pool. If he didn't, in some perverse way, enjoy watching Jolene wipe the floor with douchey over there, Jax would have broken up the game a long time ago. He was a sucker for a chick with tons of self-confidence and who could hold her own in such a male-dominated environment like an MC. It only made taming her where it really mattered all that much sweeter.

Seeing Jolene quickly pocket the fifty sitting on the edge of the pool table after sinking her last shot, Jax nudged his head towards Bette. The croweater quickly crossed the Clubhouse's main room to rub up on Dex, gingerly removing the pool cue from his sausage-like fingers. She was whispering what Jax knew were promises for a filthy good time and he smiled as he watched Jolene get exasperated by the fact that Bette had managed to pull Dex away from their game. Dropping her pool cue on the table, Jolene approached Jax with her arms crossed under her ample chest.

"Did you just break up my game?" Jolene accused.

"What makes you think I had anything to do with it, darlin'?" Jax questioned innocently. "Guaranteed head trumps getting your ass handed to you by a teenager every time."

"Yeah, right. You pretty much guaranteed Dex getting some by sending your little minion over to do your dirty work." She blasted him and Jax smiled. Shit, that fire in her eyes was going to get him burned. "Aw, come on. I almost had enough money to get Bobby that pricey stand mixer he's been eying."

"What?" Jax laughed with a raised eyebrow.

Jolene smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, you probably didn't need to know that." She replied as she slid onto the stool next to him. "Buy me a drink."

Jax quirked an eyebrow at her. "I thought you promised Gemma no drinking tonight."

"I also told her I was tired." She reminded him. "Help me, Jax. I'm on a lying streak and I can't seem to stop myself." Jolene pouted, forcing Jax to lick his own lips as he remembered the feel of hers wrapped around him last night.

Jax leaned towards Jolene and whispered, "I think there's a bottle of Jack in my room."

Jolene fought the smile threatening to curl her pink lips as she cocked her head to the side. "Is that all that's waiting for me in your room?"

Jax smiled, the urge to kiss her thoroughly right then and there a bit overwhelming. "Nope."

Jolene turned in her seat to casually scan the room in order to gauge whether or not they were being watched. Satisfied that those hanging around were either too drunk or too deeply involved in carnal activities of their own to notice a nuclear Apocalypse, Jolene slipped off the stool and, throwing a wink at Jax over her shoulder, headed to the dorm area in the back. Having already determined this morning that he was done fighting his feelings and that this was exactly where he wanted this thing with Jolene to go, Jax downed the remainder of his warm beer. He forced himself to wait it out at the bar for a bit, not out of fear of attracting attention but mostly to keep himself from coming across as overly eager.

Convincing himself that 90 seconds was more than enough time to make her wait, Jax jumped off the stool and swaggered his way to the back. Rounding the corner he quickly spotted her, leaning against the wall next to JT's bike, one leg crossed over the other and her hands behind her back. Unable to resist licking his lips again, Jax approached her and, grabbing Jolene a bit roughly by her slim waist, pulled her towards him. Her heart fluttering with excitement as a result of his man-handling, Jolene let out a surprised little gasp as Jax slammed his mouth on hers, immediately demanding that she let him in. Parting her lips slightly was the only incentive Jax needed as he plundered her mouth, their tongues teasing and dancing against each other.

His hands traveling from her waist to her tits in 0.2 seconds, Jolene watched, her hands braced on his broad shoulders, as his mouth traveled from her lips, nuzzled her throat, and dropped light kisses on the tops of her breasts as he pushed them up. Jolene closed her eyes, an involuntary moan escaping her lips as Jax simultaneously kissed and licked the valley between her cleavage exposed by her V-neck tee. Jax himself groaned in anticipation as he imagined what else he could slip in between those perfect mounds once he got her naked and on her back.

Jolene shuddered as Jax grazed his teeth against the flesh on the verge of spilling out of her shirt before grabbing her by the hand and leading her to his dorm. Once inside, Jax flipped the switch, flooding the room with incandescent light. He hoped she wasn't the shy type because the lights were staying on. He didn't want to miss a thing.

Suddenly feeling slightly woozy and a bit unsure of herself, Jolene crossed the room to sit on the edge of the bed and watched as Jax first slipped out of his cut and dropped it on the chair by the door. His eyes never leaving her face, Jax then pulled his white Reaper Crew t-shirt up and off, dropping it behind him on the floor. Jolene's wide green eyes raked over his golden skin pulled tight over the rippling muscles of his abs, chest, and arms. _He's beautiful_ , she marveled. He looked like a Norse god, all sinewy muscle and with his hair of spun gold a bit tousled.

She watched, the butterflies in her stomach all aflutter, as Jax came to her. She was eye-level to his navel and the happy trail of feathery blond hair that disappeared beneath the waistband of his white boxers, his belted jeans slung low on his hips. With his fingers gently tipping her chin back, he ran his other hand through her black tresses, releasing the curls from the low ponytail she had fashioned earlier to keep her hair out of her face while playing pool.

Jax loved her hair. If he could have it his way, she'd never wear it up or pulled back again. It was thick, long, and soft and he couldn't wait to feel it brushing against his face as she bent towards him while riding his cock.

Cupping her face in his hands, Jax bent down to kiss her luscious lips as Jolene placed her hands on his bare waist. Growing more bold as he deepened their kiss, Jolene let her hands roam over the hard muscles of his stomach, the delicate caresses causing them to twitch beneath her fingers. Her hands were electrifying against his skin and wanting to feeling more of her against him, Jax pulled her up and onto her feet. Breaking their kiss, he grabbed Jolene's shirt by the hem and pulled it off, her hair tumbling down over her shoulders once again, grazing the tops of her breasts. Jax smiled. She was wearing a feminine and lacy bra in his two favorite colors, black and red. As pretty as the garment was, Jax guided her mouth back to his in effort to keep himself from ripping it right off her body. Burying one hand in her hair as he continued devouring her with his mouth, Jax ran his free hand over her breast, squeezing it gently before slipping a finger into the demi-cup and popping the creamy orb out. Dipping his head, Jax sucked the pink nipple into his mouth, forcing it into a tight bud as he pulled and nipped at it with his teeth and lips. Jolene's breathing quickened, the air leaving her lungs in short bursts as she dug her hands into his hair.

"Oh God, Jax." Jolene's voice was a breathy whisper and sounded foreign to her own ears.

Jax groaned. Holding her face in his hands, he forced her half-hooded eyes to make contact with his. "Say my name again, darlin'." He demanded, breathing heavily. "Tell me what you want me to do to you."

"Jax," Jolene moaned and for a second, her eyes fluttered closed. With her chest heaving, her light green eyes flew open once again. "I want you to make love to me, baby."

Jax searched her beautiful face as he quickly undid her button fly jeans. There was no shame, no remorse. Jolene kicked off her ankle boots and wriggled out of her pants, kicking them to the side as well. With a wolfish grin that spoke volumes, mainly telling her that he was going to fuck her senseless, Jax undid the front snaps of her bra, her ridiculously perfect tits falling into his hands.

Letting his mouth find hers again, Jax squeezed her bare breast with one hand while the other stealthily pushed past the lacy material of her thong. Jolene gasped against his mouth as he kissed her softly while slowly stroking two fingers against the cleft between her legs. She was slick and moist, aroused. Jax growled as he kissed her hungrily, slipping one, then two fingers in, mimicking the slow and steady movement he would soon use to torture them both with. She was tight around his fingers and losing himself in her, he pushed a little deeper. Jolene gasped again, but this time there was a touch of pain in the sound that escaped her lips. Jax stopped, his eyes narrowed with concern as he realized he had hit a barrier.

"Jolene," He started after swallowing the lump that had suddenly formed at the back of his throat but she was shaking her head, holding his face in her hands.

"Don't stop, please." She begged, peppering kisses on his cheeks, the tip of his nose, and ending with his mouth. It had taken them so long to get to this point, he couldn't stop now.

He grabbed her hands, bringing them to his lips. His heart was pounding against his ribcage. _She's a virgin_ , the words bounced around his skull, almost refusing to register.

As much as he had enjoyed the company of women throughout his life, Jax had only ever been someone's first once. He touched his forehead to Jolene's and closed his eyes.

 _"Take up with Jolene, you better be damn sure you're ready for the real thing again, Jax because breaking her heart for shits and giggles is not an option."_ Gemma's words from this morning echoed in his head.

Jax pulled himself away from her. Jolene was looking up at him with wide, doe eyes, waiting for him to make the next move. If he could kick his own ass, he would. The way she was looking at him made her seem vulnerable and young.

Too young.

"You should have said something, darlin'." Jax almost whispered as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Why, Jax?" She asked quietly as she wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "Does my lack of experience make a difference? Does it turn you off?"

Running his hand over his face and down the whiskers on his chin, Jax took a step back, his eyes raking over her face and down her beautiful body. Standing before him, wearing nothing but a matching black and red thong and with the memory of last night still vivid in his mind, Jolene looked anything but innocent. She was womanly and ready for him.

He was ready for her.

Showing as much common sense and self-control as he had in Oakland, Jax closed the gap between them, pulling her towards him by the back of her neck, his mouth crashing into hers. He could feel Jolene's chest rise and fall with excitement against him, her hands searing themselves into his flesh as she ran her hands over the Reaper on his back.

Breaking from their kiss, Jax ran his hands through her tousled mane as he looked into her eyes. She was smoldering, on fire for him. Jolene wanted him as much as he wanted her. Grabbing one of his hands, she gently kissed his palm, never breaking contact with his eyes, and brought his hand back to her breast, then the other. Her full roundness weighing heavy in his slightly calloused hands, Jolene let out her quick intake of breath as a soft moan as his thumbs grazed her taut, slightly upraised nipples. Running his hands down to her waist, Jax picked her up, bringing her into his arms, her legs coiling themselves around his waist. She was wet and moist against his navel, her scent driving him crazy. He was kissing her again, her hands balled up in his hair. Putting one denim-clad knee on the bed and then the other, Jax laid her down, gently dislodging her arms from around his neck and then pinning them against the pillows above her head.

Dipping his head, he kissed her hair, inhaling the scent of her raspberry and vanilla shampoo, her face, finally falling on her mouth again. Letting go of her wrists, he ran his hands down her sides, cupping and squeezing her breasts. Jolene buried her hands in his hair, running them down his shoulders but Jax grabbed her and once again pinned her hands above her head. He needed to move slow and feeling her hands caressing him softly and lovingly might prove too much for him to bear. Trailing kisses down her neck and further, he lavished one beautiful tit with his tongue, taking his time to suck on the nipple, and then the other. Jolene was writhing beneath him, her hips instinctively bucking towards him. Continuing down to her flat tummy, he circled her navel with his tongue, dipping it in once and causing Jolene to shudder as her golden skin dimpled all the way to her toes.

Curling one finger into the waistband of her thong, Jax pulled it down, over her hips, and pushing them further until they were around her ankles. Freeing one foot from her underwear, Jolene lifted her other leg and flung the thong hanging from her ankle clear across the room, landing on the dresser by the door. Smiling at her impatience, and remarkably good aim, Jax ran his hands up her legs to her knees. Pushing them apart, Jax made room for himself to lay prone on his stomach between her legs, opening her up to him.

"Oh God!" Jolene cried out, feeling her face grow warm as the whiskers on his chin tickled her inner thigh as he ran his finger along her slit, breaking through the folds and dancing over her clit. "Jax!" She moaned as he made direct contact with the source of the ache she has had to endure since last night. Jax growled and nuzzled her pussy, loving the sound of Jolene moaning his name. He licked and sucked the little nub, driving her mad as she felt the sheets beneath her get wet. Then she felt his fingers, and gasped as one entered her. Jolene shuddered as he stroked and licked, getting her ready for him.

"Jax, please." She begged, almost at the brink of something new and amazing as Jax coaxed her to cum. And she did, nearly taking him with her even though his dick was still in his pants.

"Fuck!" Jax cursed, losing patience with himself. He pushed himself up and off the bed, kicking off his shoes and ripping off his jeans and boxers.

"I need you, Jax." She grabbed and squeezed her breasts, feeling at a loss without his touch. He was hard, engorged and about to lose his mind, and he couldn't get the rubber on fast enough. "I need you inside me!" Jolene pleaded, reaching for him as he climbed onto the bed over her. Kissing her hard and deep, she gasped as she felt his tip at her entrance. Jolene stopped breathing, bracing herself.

"Breathe, baby," Jax whispered against her lips as he ran a hand over her hair. "Relax." He didn't want to hurt her but oh God, he was going to hurt her.

Suddenly, he filled her to capacity. She bit her lip to keep from whimpering. He had entered slowly but she still felt the searing pain. He was too big for her impossibly small hole but he had wanted in, needed to get in.

Jolene looked up at him, a lone tear falling from the corner of one eye. He stopped all movement and she could see the pain in his eyes, not physical, but empathetic pain for what he was putting her through.

Jolene smiled, her hands gently stroking the frown off his face and, pulling him towards her, she kissed him, encouraging him not to stop, to go on. He did, doing what they both had been waiting for. He pushed into her, filling her up in a way she has never felt before. Jolene gasped and Jax waited, even though it was killing him, for her to grow accustomed to the intrusion. Then he started again, pushing in deeper, and pulling out. He was going slow but soon, it wasn't enough for either of them.

"Harder?" He asked, almost breathless.

Looking him in the eye as she cradled his face, Jolene nodded. "Please, baby. Faster!"

He grunted, and he did as she commanded. Bucking his hips harder, faster, he filled her up. He would shove himself deep, then pull out all but the tip, only to plunge himself deeper than before, over and over. Needing to feel him even closer, Jolene wrapped her legs tightly around his lean waist, her eyes drifting half-closed as she relished the feel of Jax between her legs, pounding into her. She was starting to feel something again.

"Oh God, Jax," She moaned, arching her back, almost at the brink of tears. Jolene could not live without him, she had always known that. Now, she could not live without being with him like this.

Jax's breathing quickened as he fought for control of a different kind. He was no longer fighting with himself for wanting this for so long, for wanting Jolene pinned under him and moaning his name. They were close, and when it hit them, they came almost simultaneously, Jolene calling for Jax as he buried his face in her neck and groaned until he was done.

Exhausted, physically as well as mentally, Jax pulled out and gently rolled onto his back. Pulling her towards him, Jolene wiggled closer into Jax's embrace, his arms around her and her head resting on his shoulder. Closing his eyes, Jax could no longer feel that empty, black void weighing him down. He smiled to himself as he pressed his lips to her forehead.

Yes. Jax was damn sure he was ready for the real thing again.


	4. Sunday Dinner

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

Jax had a slight smile on his face as he watched Jolene burrow into the pillow cradling her head. She had fallen asleep on her side facing him about an hour ago, after a less timid and more aggressive Round Two. Checking the alarm clock on the nightstand, he realized that if he nudged her awake, they'd probably have time for a final round before he had to leave for Oakland with Big Otto. As tempting as she was, with her dark hair draped over the white pillow case and the bed sheet barely covering her tits and leaving the curve of her hip exposed, Jax was enjoying the quiet peacefulness of watching her sleep. Although Jax rarely went to bed alone, he always slept alone. By this time, he would have gently slapped his current nameless and faceless conquest on the ass and told her to leave, preferring the company of his trusty bottle of Jack and painful memories. But now, even with his late night run on tap, he would have made sure Jolene stayed in his bed and waited for him to return. That is, if she didn't have a curfew.

"I can feel your eyes on me." Jolene murmured, her eyes still closed.

Jax laughed. Losing the battle to keep his hands off of her, he reached out and caressed her cheek, tucking stray curls behind her delicately-shaped ear. "How long have you been awake?"

Jolene's piercing green eyes flew open and she beamed up at him. "Since you came back from your shower. I even watched you get dressed. _Nice_." She leered at him as she pulled herself up into a sitting position next to Jax.

Lifting up the bed sheet she had tucked around her, Jax leered back. "I know what you mean," He peeked under the blanket. _Yeah, what the hell_ , Jax thought. _There was always time for one more round._ Throwing the covers off of her, Jax grabbed her by her waist and pulled her towards him until she was straddling him. With Jolene on her knees, he was eye level to her chest. He'd always considered himself an ass man but shit, her tits needed to come with a warning label.

Although she loved his one-track mind, Jolene was sure that if Gemma returned home and found her a no-show, she'd release the flying monkeys and come looking for her. "Jax, it's after midnight. I have to go."

"Hang on, darlin', there's something I've been dying to do." Jax smiled as he pulled her closer.

Jolene squealed. "You've been dying to motorboat me?" She giggled as Jax buried his face in her chest and rubbed it in her boobs while humming. "I feel violated."

"I've been wanting to do that for months," Jax muffled against her breasts. "Now I can die a happy man."

"Silly," Jolene balled her hand in his hair and pulled his head back. "All you had to do was ask."

"I hope you mean that 'cause I'm warning you," Jax gave her a cheeky grin. "I'm probably gonna do it a lot."

"Just don't do it in front of my dad." Jolene teased as she caressed his face lovingly.

"I can't make any promises." Jax smiled as Jolene bent to kiss him as his hands massaged her breasts, once again stoking the fire within them both.

"What are ya doing?" Jolene laughed as she broke away from their kiss. "You're making it very hard for me to leave, Jax." She answered her own question in a near whisper as she ran her hands through his hair.

"That's 'cause I don't want you to go." He whispered back, the intensity in his look almost hypnotizing as they stared into each other's eyes.

Jolene groaned. "I have to," She said reluctantly.

"I know," He replied, his arms still wrapped around her in a vise-like grip. Jolene smiled as she dipped her head and kissed Jax again, their tongues dancing against each other. Jolene gasped, surprised as Jax rolled them both over and pinned her to the bed. She felt a flutter of excitement as he reached in between them and unzipped his pants. Shifting her hips, Jolene opened herself up to him again.

"Damn it!" Jax cursed as he pulled himself out of her embrace. With wide eyes, Jolene sat up on the bed next to Jax as he pulled the vibrating pre-pay out of his pants pocket. "Shit, darlin', I have to take this." He grabbed her face with one hand and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before flipping open his phone and answering the call.

From what Jolene could gather, Jax was talking to a Club member. Although she couldn't tell what was being discussed, she did get a sense of urgency from Jax as he paced the room while listening to whoever was on the other end. Realizing that their evening together had just come to an abrupt end, Jolene got out of bed. She couldn't help but smile at the look of utter disappointment that crossed Jax's face as he stopped pacing and watched her get dressed.

"Ok, sounds like a plan," Jax said into the phone. "Absolutely. I'm on my way." He slammed the phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket. Crossing the room in what seemed like two giant steps, Jax grabbed a half-dressed Jolene from behind and pulled her towards him. "Did I say you could leave?" He nuzzled her hair, right behind her ear.

"I don't remember asking," Jolene smiled as she involuntarily shivered. "Besides, it sounds like your night just got a whole lot busier." She turned in his arms and framed his face in her hands. Turning his head slightly, Jax closed his eyes and pressed a kiss into one of her palms.

"It did." Jax pulled away slightly and looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry, Jo. This is not how I wanted the night to end."

"I kinda got that." Jolene wiggled her eyebrows at him.

Jax smiled, knowing that it was probably for the best that Big Otto called when he did or there was no way Jolene was leaving his side tonight.

"I'm meeting Otto at Cara Cara." Jax started, searching her face and noticing for the first time the pretty little scattering of freckles under her eyes and across the bridge of her nose. "I can drop you off at home on the way." He offered.

Jolene shook her head slightly. "I have my car. You should get going, don't keep the Big O waiting."

"At least let me follow you to the house, make sure you get home okay." Jax replied and Jolene nodded, sensing something more than just the need to protect coming from him.

Lighting a cigarette, Jax sat on the bed with his back against the headboard and waited for Jolene to finish dressing. Noticing it for the first time, the angry, crimson stain on his white sheets seemed almost surreal to him the more he stared at it. He didn't remember it being like this before, but now Jax was sure he would never forget.

* * *

All things considered, the trip into Oakland to retrieve the Club's next shipment from the IRA had been successful. As usual, Michael McKeavey had been waiting for them at the dock when Big Otto and Jax arrived sometime before 3 a.m. McKeavey did a quick rundown of the cache of weapons that was the Club's standing order with the Irish: 120 AK-47s and 80 MAC-10s for a total of $200K, with payment to be made at another location in 10 days. Unfortunately, according to McKeavey, the Irish were having trouble negotiating a new deal with their port contact in Ireland and this would probably be their last shipment for a couple of months. Jax was sure this bit of news was going to take some of the shine off the optimism Bobby had expressed about the Club's finances and explained to McKeavey that Clay was not going to be happy.

After a bit of angry back and forth between McKeavey and Jax, the Irishman offered to put the Club in contact with some associates that dealt in small firearms such as TEC-9s and Glocks. Jax reminded McKeavey that the Sons had a reputation for being able to provide a certain product, such as AKs and MAC-10s, that were otherwise difficult to obtain in NorCal and that they may need to secure another pipeline. Although Big Otto had felt Jax may have pushed a little too far with the threat of no longer being open to doing business with the Irish, especially without discussing the situation with Clay first, he was struck speechless when McKeavey caved. Not wanting to lose the Sons as business partners, the Irishman gifted the Club with a cache of TEC-9s and Glocks, a dozen of each, and promised he would negotiate a 10% discount for future shipments of the smaller weapons until the IRA could resume exporting out of Dungloe.

After overcoming that little bump, the rest of the night had been a cakewalk. It was dawn by the time Jax and Big Otto had transported the oil drums to Bluebird and with Clay's meeting with the Niners on the horizon, the Club needed to start assembly ASAP. Jax was going to suggest sending the Prospect out to Bluebird on Monday to help Tig oversee assembly. It would have been an excellent proving ground for Juice, but the Puerto Rican from New York didn't know Spanish. Didn't even have a clue as to what "Me llamo Juice" meant. Being that the assembly crew hired by Tig was fresh off the truck from Mexico, Chibs might as well be the one providing back-up with as much English as they understood.

With his plan for catching up on sleep this weekend already shot to hell, Jax decided to take his mother up on her open invite to join the family for Sunday dinner. If anything, it would at least give him an excuse to see Jolene again, the reason for his tossing and turning even after his late night working with Big Otto. Toweling off after a much needed cold shower, Jax shook his head as he chuckled. It had been a very, very long time since he had lost any sleep over pussy. Either he was getting soft the older he got or he was falling in-

"No!" Jax quickly chastised himself in the mirror. "Get that thought out of your fuckin' head." He said to himself and abruptly changed his train of thought. He needed to get his shit together if he was going to continue hooking up with Jolene. As the adult in this situation, he was going to have to be the one to keep a level head because teenage girls had a tendency and flair for the melodramatic.

Wrapping the damp towel around his waist, Jax rubbed the bridge of his nose. _Who the fuck am I kidding_? Trying to put Jolene in the same box as Tara and all the other women he had bedded wouldn't work. In all of his past relationships, he had always been the one in control and if love had ever been involved, those feelings always came later, after the initial hook-up.

 _Fuck_!

He could try to convince himself all he wanted that he was the one in charge of the Jolene situation, but deep down Jax knew she had been the one calling the shots all along. His longtime relationship with Jolene would not permit their hooking up to be nothing more than just a casual friends with benefits attachment. Truth was, Jax already had feelings for her by the time she got the jump on in him during their first real encounter at the streams. He had been under her spell ever since and, like he suspected all along, there would be no going back.

* * *

Jolene grabbed the garbage bag by the back door and headed out to dump it in the cans on the side of the house. Rounding the corner on her way back, she nearly jumped out of her skin as she walked into a wall of sinewy muscle.

Pulling her arms around his waist, Jax bent towards her and, taking advantage of their location and the setting sun, kissed her. Jolene melted in his arms as he pushed her up against the side of the house and continued the assault on her throat with his tongue.

Barely breaking away, Jolene smiled. "Happy to see me?"

"I am," Jax smiled back, taking a second to make eye contact before moving on to nuzzling her neck.

"I thought I heard your bike," Jolene giggled, inadvertently knocking his Reaper Crew cap off his head as she ran her hands through his hair.

Jax pulled back. "I've been waiting on the back porch for like 20 minutes. You walked right by me and didn't even notice."

"I'm sorry," Jolene batted her eyelashes at him. "I was preoccupied, thinking about this really hot biker I know."

Jax smiled as his hands gently freed her pulled-back hair from its ponytail. "So you're into bikers, huh?" He loved the feel of her thick and silky hair curling around his fingers.

Jolene shook her head. "Just one."

"Good answer," Jax dipped his head and kissed her again.

Feeling way too good in his arms, Jolene half-heartedly forced herself to push Jax away. "I'm supposed to be watching the stove while Uncle Elvis gets his drink on. I can't explain burnt chops if you keep me pinned to this wall."

Kissing her one last time, Jax reluctantly let her go. "I need to see you again. Alone. And soon."

Jolene smiled. "Need or want?" She teased.

"Both, darlin'." Jax claimed his eyes wide for emphasis.

"We'll work something out," Jolene promised.

"Really, 'cuz I don't see how without someone finding out about us. You ready for that?" Jax asked.

Ready? She needed to get used to being an "us" first. "I will be," She replied. "For now, we can go someplace outside Charming."

Jax quirked an eyebrow at her. He didn't like hiding shit from his brothers. If it was up to him, he'd walk into the house right now and tell Clay but he knew that's not what she wanted. Jax could go with it, for the time being. "Where'd you have in mind, darlin'?"

Jolene bit her lip as she tried to think of any other place except what first came to mind and came up empty. The location she was thinking of was beautiful and private but it was also outdoors. "How about the streams?"

Jax smiled as it seemed appropriate in his mind. The streams were where this whole thing between them started in the first place. "Tomorrow, before the garage closes."

"You mean afterschool?" Jolene teased.

"I was trying to avoid using that terminology but yeah, afterschool." Jax relented, feeling like a Chester. That was a small price to pay for being with the hottest teenager on the planet.

"It's a date then," She gave him a quick peck on the lips and headed to the porch and gingerly climbed the stairs.

"You're walking weird," Jax observed as he watched her walk from behind. He should know after the countless times he'd been distracted by that sashaying ass in the last three months.

"Really? You don't say?" Jolene turned as she reached the top step of the porch. "Maybe it's cuz I haven't been this sore since the first time I went horseback riding."

A knowing smile spread across Jax face. "That's what you get for riding a biker."

Gemma opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. "Oh, hey, Jackson. I didn't know you were here." She smiled as Jax climbed the stairs and planted a kiss on his mom.

"Just got here." He said, wondering how much, if any, of his exchange with Jolene Gemma managed to catch.

"And I thought you were manning the stove?" Gemma said to Jolene, hand on hip.

"I am. I was just throwing out the garbage." Jolene explained as she headed back in. Gemma's eyes narrowed as she watched Jolene go. There was something off about her; Gemma just couldn't put a finger on it.

* * *

"How did it go yesterday?" Clay asked regarding Jolene's community service while slapping a spoonful of mashed potatoes on his plate.

Jolene rolled her eyes. "My P.O. is still p.o.'d about me coming back to Charming," She explained. "She won't drop that shit about Valentina and says I didn't give Seattle a chance."

"Doesn't she realize what a waste of human skin your mother is?" Gemma asked, passing a platter of Bobby's smothered pork chops across the table to Jax.

Jolene was shaking her head. "My CPS file from Washington has been sitting on her desk, in the same spot for months. I don't think she's even read it. Doesn't matter anyway 'cuz I'm not going back."

"You have to go back to your probation officer, Kit." Bobby chastised.

"Nah, I meant Seattle." Jolene was picking at her plate, avoiding eye contact. "That bitch is dead to me." She muttered.

Jax gave her a sideways glance. Jolene never spoke about her time in Seattle but from what he has been able to piece together, it must have been bad.

"You want me to talk to this P.O. of yours? That Doreen Butterface?" Clay asked, obvious concern etched on his face. He had been dead set against Jolene going back to Seattle to live with her mother as part of her probation in the first place. That had been an epic fail on behalf of the pencil-pushing-and-oblivious-to-the-facts probation officer his kid got stuck with. He wasn't sending her back.

"Debra McAllister, and no, please do not talk to her." Jolene dropped her fork on her plate. "She's not exactly your number one fan, Dad and she's got a big enough boner for the MC as it is. You antagonize her, the next step for me is foster care."

"You're almost eighteen," Jax said. "She can't send you to foster care."

"Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades." Jolene gave Jax a half-smile, which went unnoticed by Clay and Bobby but which was all too telling as far as Gemma was concerned. "Foster care, group home, she doesn't care. Anywhere but here. She's just waiting for me to fuck up."

"Any chance of that happening?" Gemma asked, causing Clay, Jax, and Bobby to give her a WTF look, which Gemma shrugged off.

"No," Jolene replied unperturbed. "I've been a good 'lil juvenile delinquent. I finished anger management, I'm done with probation _and_ I turn 18 in a couple of months and graduate shortly thereafter. After that, I can't make any promises except to say that all hell's breaking loose."

Jax brought his bottle of beer up to his lips to hide his chuckle and smirk from Clay, who was giving Jolene a look that said he was taking her all too seriously.

"I'm kidding, Dad." Jolene smiled. "After that, it's the nunnery, I promise."

"Careful, Kit," Bobby laughed. "He might hold you to that."

"Damn skippy," Clay said, flashing his daughter a cheesy grin as he cut into his pork chop with relish.

"Yeah, okay, Dad. Whatever." Jolene said, falling into teenager mode.

"So, what are your plans for after high school?" Bobby asked while chewing. Jolene loved the man but table manners were not his strong suit.

"More school." Jolene replied as she reached for Jax's beer and took a sip without her dad noticing. She'd been doing it for years at the dinner table, sometimes sneaking a sip of Clay's own beer and yet he never noticed.

"College?" Jax asked, trying to sound casual. Shit, this scenario was starting to sound familiar. Why did he keep falling for the smart ones, the ones he could actually carry on a conversation with?

Catching the unspoken question in his eyes, Jolene nodded. "Yeah, I got early admission into CSU-Stan in Stockton. It's about a 40-minute drive there and back."

"You're not going away for college?" Gemma asked, catching the fleeting sense of relief that fluttered over her son's face.

"I've been away long enough. My ass is staying in Charming." Jolene shook her head. "Besides, it's cheaper if I live at home." She directed at Clay.

"What? I gotta pay for college now, too?" Clay asked in mock horror.

"You don't have to," Jolene started, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "I can always take up stripping to pay for school. I think I read somewhere that 90% of all strippers are putting themselves through law school or something like that. " She kidded.

The table erupted with laughter, except for Clay.

"That's not funny." Clay put his fork down and pointed his finger at Jolene. "You get that thought outta your head."

"Jesus, Dad, I'm kidding. Calm down," Jolene laughed as she got up from the table to wrap her arms around her father's neck and hugged him from behind. "Besides, I don't have the daddy issues required to be a stripper." She kissed the side of his face.

 _She does have the body for it_ , though, Jax thought and had to fight the urge to punch a wall. Had Jolene grown up with Valentina, and not in Charming, there was a good chance that she would have been headed for the pole and not college, following her mother into the family business.

That is, had she survived her childhood.

* * *

Jolene entered the living room carrying a tray, which she placed on the coffee table in front of her dad. Passing off the mugs of coffee to Bobby and Clay, she grabbed the bottle of beer and crossed the living room to where Jax was sitting on the edge of the couch. Facing him, she handed him the bottle, their fingers grazing as she threw him a furtive wink and a smile.

"If you fellas need anything, holler for Gemma. I'm hitting the sack." She kissed Clay and gave Bobby a hug. "Dinner was awesome, as usual." Jolene kissed Bobby's forehead.

"You're dropping out on us already? It's barely 7 o'clock." Bobby said.

"They don't make teenagers like they used to." Clay teased.

"Hey, I spent my Saturday mixing cement and doing other strenuous activities," Jolene replied just as Jax was tipping his beer, causing him to miss his mouth, with a little dribble of the foamy liquid going up his nose. "But if you prefer, I'm sure I can find some trouble to get into, even on a Sunday night in Charming."

"Get your ass upstairs!" Clay went to swat her on the behind but she playfully dodged his hand and ran up the stairs.

Bobby chuckled as he took a sip of his piping hot coffee. "Thank God he saw fit to give me only boys."

Now that his main reason for being here in the first place had called it a night, Jax took one last sip from his beer and got up to leave.

"I spoke to Big Otto today." Clay started, stopping Jax as he was about to say goodnight. "You overstepped your bounds there a little last night."

Running his hand over his face, Jax stood in front of his stepfather and Club President and put his hands on his hips. "I know and I was wrong to do so but—" Jax started but Clay interrupted.

"Hold on," Clay started, a little annoyed. "McKeavey and I go back years. Not only is he a business partner but he's a good friend of mine as well." Jax opened his mouth in his defense, but Bobby raised his hand.

"Jax, let him finish." He said with a chuckle as the young man looked like he was about to start sweating.

From his recliner, Clay turned to look at Jax and continued. "My history with McKeavey and the IRA might have kept me from putting the screws to an old friend. Had you called me first, I probably would have told you to back off, then the Club would've spent the next couple of months trying to figure out a way to earn. You made the right call. You treated him like we would have any other associate who, through his own mismanagement, was trying to feed us a line of bullshit in an effort to step back from an agreement. You called him out for making excuses and you negotiated a pretty sweet deal for the Club." Clay explained, much to Jax's relief. "All in all, that was a ballsy move on your part and I'm proud of you, son."

"You made quite the impression on McKeavey as well." Bobby stated. "He called Clay bright and early to apologize, afraid Clay was as pissed as you were last night."

Clay waved the issue away. "Anyway, we'll discuss it some more at Church in the morning." He announced. "Tomorrow's gonna be a busy day for you, so go get some rest. You look like shit." He stood up and gave his stepson a backslapping hug.

Jax made his way through the kitchen to retrieve his cut from the back of his chair at the dinner table. Gemma was sitting at her usual spot at the table smoking a joint.

"How'd it go?" She asked as Jax gripped the back of the chair holding his cut.

"I'm not gonna lie," Jax smiled. "My sphincter was a little clenched."

Gemma smiled as she stood up and gave her son a hug. "John would've been proud of you, too." She said in a near whisper before pulling away.

"Thanks, Ma." Jax dropped a kiss on her forehead before slipping into his cut and heading to the backdoor. "I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Gemma asked, walking to the kitchen.

Jax stopped, doorknob in hand. "No."

Pulling Jax's Reaper Crew hat out of the cupboard, Gemma tossed it at him. Jax caught it with his free hand as it hit him on the chest. Shit! He forgot he had dropped it by the garbage cans earlier with Jolene. He waited for his mother to explode as she was the type to shoot first and ask questions later but she just gave him a raised eyebrow and puckered lips that screamed "Gotcha!" She stubbed out her joint and turned to leave the kitchen.

"Get home safe, sweetheart." She said on her way upstairs.


	5. Jax Rising

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

Tig stood by the Chapel door as each of the Sons filed past him and dropped their pre-pays into the cigar box he was holding. Once everyone was seated at the Redwood table, Clay banged his gavel, officially calling the meeting to order.

"We had a very productive weekend, boys. First off, I wanna congratulate Chibs. That was a hellava fight, brother." Clay announced, clapping his hands.

"Ah boys, you gonna make meh blush," Chibs said with mock modesty, waving away the whistles and applause. "It was too easy!"

"What!" Tig chided. "That was the bloodiest, most brutal fight ever, bro. I swear I heard the poor bastard calling for his mommy!" He joked, causing everyone at the table to laugh.

"The purse was $15,000, Chibby, and you earned every goddamn cent," Clay was beaming. Addressing Bobby, he said, "But that's chump change compared to what you earned the Club. Tell 'em Bobby."

"Well, I was a little conservative with the numbers I gave you during Church on Friday," Bobby started, as he flipped through his notes, his glasses perched on the end of his nose. "I just got off the phone with our bookie in Galt, and after deducting the vig, we're raking in $138,000!"

"Bullshit!" Big Otto called out in gleeful disbelief as he reached across the table and high-fived Chibs.

"Whoa, wait, let's not forget the Unser protection run," Clay interjected. "That netted us another $20K. It was a long haul to Fresno but good job, boys." He tipped his cigar to Kyle and Opie, earning Opie a proud pat on the back from his father.

"Levi," Bobby started, referring to the Club's bookie. "Said the cash would be ready for pick up late this afternoon. He's gonna give me a call."

"Good. I want you making the pick-up," Clay pointed at Bobby. "Take Tig and Kyle with ya, plus some heavy artillery cuz that's a shitload of money."

"Piece of cake," Tig said smugly as he sat back in his chair with his hands behind his head.

"And now, I'll let Big Otto bring you all up to speed on some good news, bad news, and good news again regarding our latest shipment from Dungloe." Clay pointed at Otto and proceeded to chew on his cigar.

"Well, the good news, with LaRoy eager for his delivery on Thursday, I was able to muscle our port contact into releasing our merch early Sunday. With port inspections happening this morning, we had to grease his palm a little more generously than usual in order for him to release the shipment ahead of schedule. Jax and I picked it up from McKeavey, with the same terms in place: $200K due in 10 days." Big Otto started explaining.

"How are we are on McKeavey's money?" Clay asked Bobby.

"We're gold, brother." Bobby replied. "We have enough on tap for the next two month's shipments, with a hefty profit left in our coffers, and that's not even counting Chibs' winnings."

"Sweet," Otto said. "But now for the bad news: there won't be anymore shipments from Dungloe for the foreseeable future."

"What the fuck happened?" Tig asked, incredulous.

"It seems we're not the only ones dealing with greedy port contacts. The Irish are having trouble re-negotiating their agreement with theirs so until then, no more shipments." Big Otto replied.

"The IRA has their money tied up in the Cause and cannot afford to bump their contact's cut up to 15% like he's demanding. McKeavey expects a cash injection from the Russians who handle their own exporting but that's gonna take a couple of months." Jax recounted his conversation with McKeavey.

"Shit, what's the Club gonna do 'til then?" Opie asked.

Big Otto sat back in his chair. "That brings us to the Good News again." He pointed at Jax, who narrowed his eyes at Otto questioningly. "It's your deal, bro. Bring it to the table."

Jax sat forward in his chair with his elbows on the table and his fingers interlocked. "I told McKeavey the Club needs his guns to stay solvent. If he couldn't provide us with that service, all over a 3 point difference in payment to their contact, then we would have to start looking elsewhere for our hardware." He explained.

"Did you sanction that?" Piney directed at Clay.

"No," Clay shook his head. "But let him finish."

"It was a bluff, Piney," Jax started. "I figured we weren't in line for anymore shipments from the Irish for a while anyway. We had nothing to lose by trying to cut a deal for our continued patronage."

"And it worked." Big Otto stated. "McKeavey looked like he'd just dropped a load in his pants."

"He offered to set us up with an associate of theirs to sell us TEC-9's and Glocks and as a further show of good faith, he's getting us a discount on the merch, too." Jax explained.

"How much?" Chibs asked.

"Ten percent," Jax replied. "Plus he threw in a dozen each of the hardware to sweeten the pot, free of charge."

Kyle was incredulous. "You coulda totally fucked up our arrangement with the Irish and for what? A lot of fuckin good the smaller hardware is gonna do us."

"Well, considering that the Irish situation is out of our hands anyway until they can start exporting again, I think it worked out well." Big Otto replied. "We may not have access to our usual inventory but the smaller firearms might open new doors for us."

"Really? Like who? Everybody knows the Sons deal with the heavy, hard to find shit." Kyle said.

"Cacuzza." Jax replied. "We already have a working relationship with his crew doing protection runs. He's expressed an interest in buying guns from us before but has no need for the big shit. I think we should reach out to him, see what his needs are for the next couple of months."

Clay was nodding. "The Italians do love the Glocks."

"And with the discount we're getting, we might be able to pass the savings on to his crew." Jax suggested. "As a good will gesture."

"How good is the shit the Irish gifted though? We have a reputation to maintain while the IRA gets their shit straight. We can't go selling garbage to a friend of the Club just to stay afloat." Tig stated.

Big Otto pulled a black duffel bag from under his chair and dropped it on the table. "The quality is some of the best I've seen on the street lately," He started, pulling out a couple of TEC-9s and Glocks and passing them around the table. "Check 'em out for yourselves, boys but Jax and I tested them this morning. This stock is good shit. Cacuzza will cream his tighty-whities."

Tig marveled as he gave a TEC-9 a thorough once over. "This shit is fuckin' cherry, man!" He was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning.

"I still would've appreciated a head's up," Clay directed at Jax. "But that was some good fast-on-your-feet negotiating. Tig, reach out to the Italians, set up a meet, and soon."

"I'll get right on it," Tig said, getting up from the table and leaving the Chapel.

"Next order of business, assembly of the new shipment. We need an overseer with an eye for details. We have a tight deadline to meet with LaRoy on Thursday." Clay stated.

"What's wrong with Tig?" Piney asked. "Isn't that his usual gig?"

Clay was shaking his head. "He's developed quite a taste for Latino heat as of late. I'd rather not unleash him on the new crop of fish tacos from South of the Border currently on the line at Bluebird. Like I said, we have a deadline to meet." He responded.

"Send Jax." Big Otto suggested.

"Hold on!" Kyle called out. This was getting fuckin' ridiculous. "Why Jax? There are others at this table with more experience."

"Why the fuck are you questioning me? You think I don't know that?" Big Otto shot Kyle with a steely glare. "Like it or not, this shit's in his blood. He's proven himself as a negotiator. Now it's time to see how he handles management. You can handle it, right?" He asked Jax.

"Absolutely." Jax responded, confidently.

"You know this is bullshit, right?" Kyle groused. "I'm sick and tired of hearing how this is his fuckin' legacy. Some of us have been earning for the Club for years."

"Yea, and maybe now is da time to give Jackie Boy here da opportunity to do the same." Chibs nodded his head towards Jax.

"I agree," Bobby started. "Jax brokered the deal for the new hardware and if our VP thinks he's ready, he's ready, man."

"Anyone have anything else they want to add before I put it to a vote?" Clay asked.

"Tig's not back yet and I don't think he's gonna take too kindly to being pushed out." Kyle argued.

"He's not being pushed out!" Big Otto thundered.

"Nobody's pushing him out, Kyle." Clay started calmly. "I already discussed it with Tig and he understands that we need a quick turnaround on LaRoy's guns." He explained.

"But does he know it's the Prince of Charming that's replacing him?" Kyle glared at Jax, who glared right back.

"Probably not," Piney chimed in. "But then again, Tig's not the type to let petty jealousy get in the way of what needs to be done." He finished just as Tig returned to the Chapel.

"It's all set," Tig said, referring to Cacuzza, as he sat back down. "And what about me and petty jealousy?"

"Otto suggests putting Jax in charge of assembly of the Niner order, but Kyle seems to think you'd have a problem with that." Clay explained.

"What? Nah," Tig started. "If Otto thinks he's ready, I got no beef."

"It's settled then," Clay announced. "Do we really need a vote?"

Kyle sat back in his chair exasperated as everybody else around the table agreed to put Jax in charge of the Niners' order.

"Meeting adjourned," Clay pounded the gavel.

"This is in-fuckin-credible!" Kyle threw his chair back and stormed out of the Chapel.

"Somebody don't like you, Jax." Tig said, stating the obvious.

"And I couldn't give less of a shit anyway." Jax said defiantly, shaking his head.

"He'll be fine just as soon as some Croweater sucks him off." Clay waved Kyle's tantrum away. "Take your trusty sidekick with you," Clay said to Jax, indicating Opie, as Tig and Chibs left the Chapel and headed for the bar, even though it was barely 10 a.m. "This'll be good for the both of you."

"What about Juice?" Jax asked, just as Clay was about to leave the table.

"What about the Prospect?" He turned to Jax, who was now standing in front of him.

"The kid's a tool, I give ya that, but when it comes to computers and electronics, he's a genius." Jax explained. "Our regular guy has been unavailable to install the surveillance equipment at Bluebird and it's still sitting in boxes at the warehouse." He said.

"Yeah," Big Otto agreed. "And he won't be available for a minute. Dumbass got pinched for stealing equipment from his job. He's doing short-time in Chino."

"You think the Prospect can handle it?" Clay asked skeptically.

"Only one way to find out." Jax replied.

"What the hell? It'll at least get that goofy, grinning bastard out of my face for a while." Clay replied. "Keep a sharp eye on him, though." He pointed at Jax.

"Will do." Jax assured him.

* * *

The warehouse for Bluebird Birdseed Distributors sat on a two-acre parcel of land somewhere in between the outskirts of Charming and Modesto. It was a non-descript, white-walled building with a loading dock in the rear and a lot big enough for four commercial trucks on the side. The land surrounding Bluebird was undeveloped, except for the always-desolate dirt road that splintered off from the main highway and led straight to the reinforced steel entrance of the gate that ran the perimeter of the property. With no neighbors or streetlamps in the general area, unless you were looking for Bluebird, you weren't going to find it, especially at night. It was the ideal location for the Sons' base of operation for the assembly and storage of their precious cargo from Dungloe. The newly renovated caretaker's cottage on the opposite end of the loading dock was big enough to house their current assembly crew fresh off the truck from Mexico.

Jax, Opie, and Juice arrived at Bluebird in the late morning. After setting Juice up with the surveillance equipment, Jax and Opie promptly went to work on the assembly of the Niner order. Between the two life-long friends, they were able to put together enough of what they learned in high school Spanish classes to direct the crew of four women and two teenage boys. Although the assembly of AKs and MAC-10s wasn't difficult, it had to be done carefully and in a precise order, and only after each part, numbering in the thousands, was properly cleaned and oiled. Great care had to be taken that each step was done correctly or the next time that weapon was fired could result in the death of the shooter, or at the very least, leave him severely disfigured. Since every gun was personally tested by the Sons before making it to its final destination, not getting it right the first time was not an option.

After going through the process with the crew over and over, in broken Spanish, by 3:00 that afternoon, Jax and Opie had been able to test about half a dozen AKs. So far, so slow. Six down. Only 34 AKs and 10 MAC-10s to go. Jax had expected the first day to be slow going, but at this rate, they'd never get LaRoy his guns by Thursday morning.

"How many more do you think we can get them to bang out today?" Opie asked as he rubbed down an AK with a rag soaked in Ballistol.

Jax shook his head, his lips a thin line as he readjusted the scope on the gun he was holding. "Probably another half dozen, if we push hard enough."

"That leaves us with two days to assemble and test the rest." Opie said, a tinge of skepticism in his voice.

"We can do it, bro." Jax replied, reassuringly. "What we need to do is work round the clock. Break the crew up into teams to keep them from getting fatigued and sloppy. We should start tonight." He explained.

Opie nodded. "If we rotate 8 hour shifts, we might get done ahead of schedule."

"That's the plan." Jax agreed. "Let them take a break now. They can eat, sleep, and rest up. The first shift starts at 8 tonight, next group at 4 a.m. I'll take first shift."

Jax and Opie carried the guns they had tested back to the warehouse and packed them into a plain wooden crate. Using a nail gun, Opie sealed the lid on.

Making their way back to the assembly room, Jax fell a step behind Opie as he felt his pre-pay vibrating in his pocket. "Hey, darlin'," Jax smiled as he answered the phone. It was Jolene.

"Did you forget about me?" She asked and Jax could hear the pout in her voice to go along with the image of her pouty, pillowy lips dancing around his head.

"Never," Jax growled sexily. "I was just on my way, darlin'."

"Good," Jolene started. "I was eager to get here, so I didn't have time to go home and change. Hope you don't mind if I'm still in my school uniform." She teased.

Jax bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut. Shit, she'd just guaranteed that he'd be ready to go the second he got to the streams.

* * *

"Oh, Jax," Jolene moaned, the bark of the tree Jax was holding her up against digging through the thin material of her white blouse. She barely noticed. They had been on the verge of going their separate ways when Jolene's teasing in the form of "One More Kiss" proved to be too much for Jax. He had warned her. If she didn't stop, they were gonna end up naked again. She didn't listen. That combined with the fact that he wouldn't be able to see her again until after the Niner order was done proved too much for Jax. Instead of getting naked all over again, though, Jax had hiked up her skirt and pushed her panties to the side.

Now he had her up against the tree, her legs wrapped around his lean waist, not ten yards from where she had parked her car on the main road. With her hands buried in his long blonde hair, Jolene pulled his mouth back to hers. His pounding and dirty talk had pushed her to the edge and she wanted him as close as possible when she came.

Jax growled against her mouth as he felt her tighten around his dick. That was it. He felt like a 15 year old all over again as he lost the struggle for control and came even before she was done convulsing.

Unwrapping his junk as he watched her readjust her clothes, Jax gave her a half smile. "I told Ope I'd be back in an hour."

Jolene shrugged her shoulders, pushing the one breast that had managed to escape its confines without her knowledge back into her bra then buttoning her blouse. "All I wanted was one more kiss," She teased, her eyes wide and innocent.

Jax grabbed her by the waist and pulled her flush against his body. "You understand why I won't be able to see you for the next few days, right?"

Jolene nodded, unable to contain her pride as she beamed at Jax. "Of course I do. Jax, this is an amazing opportunity. I don't wanna be the reason you're distracted, so don't worry about me. I'm not going anywhere." She wrapped her arms around his neck as he bent to kiss her for the last time, or so he promised himself. He walked Jolene to her car without pulling her into his arms again but gave in before she ducked into the driver's seat.

Sitting on his bike, Jax laughed to himself as he watched her drive off, screeching tires and all. He really did need to have a talk with her about her driving, he thought as he pulled out in the opposite direction and headed back to Bluebird.

Instead of going directly to the library like she knew she should, Jolene drove straight for Nicky's Diner. Donna had been avoiding her phone calls since the club incident. Living a life surrounded by sweetbutts and croweaters, and old ladies usually twice, sometimes three times her own age, the last thing Jolene wanted was to lose the one normal female friendship she had in Charming. Donna had been upset that Jolene had decided to go to Oakland with Doug and Frankie alone but she wasn't the type to hold a grudge for days on end without at least calling Jolene and telling her off.

Jolene entered the diner, crowded with the early bird specials crowd, and walked more than a little self-consciously around tables of gawking old geezers and gossiping old biddies as she made her way to Donna's section at the back of the restaurant. As much fun as she had had in her school girl uniform this afternoon with Jax, she felt dirty as a couple of truckers nearly elbowed each other off their stools as they pointed her out. When one flicked his tongue at her and described in great detail what he could do with it, Jolene rolled her eyes and flipped him the bird. They obviously had no idea who she was because while the locals did not go out of their way to hide the fact that they were talking about her, none was stupid enough to make off-color and disrespectful comments. That was the last time she'd walk around town dressed like a naughty Catholic schoolgirl.

Donna, in black uniform slacks and peach polo shirt, was standing by one of her tables, chatting and laughing with a group of her regular customers. Jolene hopped onto an empty stool at the end of the counter and waited to grab her attention. Donna, shoving her order pad and pen into her apron, turned to find a sheepish Jolene.

"Hey," Donna said happily as she approached her and threw her arms around Jolene, who was now a little confused.

"You're not mad at me?" Jolene hugged her back.

Donna pulled away. "Maybe just a little," She started. "I'm glad to see you're in one piece but you never called me to let me know you were okay."

Jolene was perplexed and it showed on her face. "I called you three times this weekend. Your mom said you weren't home and that she'd have you call me back."

Donna rolled her eyes. "Shit, she's screening my calls again, Jolene." She sat on the stool next to her younger friend. "She never told me you called and I swear I didn't even hear the phone ring this weekend."

"You were home?" Jolene made a face.

"Most of the time. I was home Saturday but I was with Ope most of the day on Sunday." Donna explained.

"Girl, you need a cell phone," Jolene started but stopped. "Wait, did you say Opie?" She asked and Donna nodded, unable to contain her joy.

"We're back together," Donna said happily.

Jolene laughed. "That explains why she's screening your calls. I'm sure your mom's delighted that you are once again in the evil clutches of SAMCRO."

Donna pouted. "Aren't you happy for me?" She asked, a little deflated by her best friend's response.

"Of course I am," Jolene started. "I've been happy for you each and every time you and Ope get back together. I've also been depressed along with you and have gained my share of sympathy weight as a result of your obsession with Rocky Road ice cream every time you two break up."

Donna ran her hand through her chin length dark hair. "I know. It's ridiculous the number of times we've been on-again, off-again in the last two years."

"Twelve times," Jolene added, with a tinge of snark. "You and Ope break up and get back together again an average of six times a year."

"Thanks for keeping track." Donna said sarcastically.

"That's what best friends are for." Jolene smiled at her cheekily. "But seriously, D, you love Ope. I know you do. Why do you keep torturing each other like this?"

Donna got up from her stool and headed behind the counter. Scooping some ice into a glass, she poured Jolene a soft drink and set it in front of her. "It's my parents, Jo. They've lived here all their lives and they remember Charming before SAMCRO."

"What's wrong with Charming now?" Jolene asked defensively, bobbing her straw up and down in the glass of fizzy cola.

"Nothing, really. Crime is virtually non-existent and drugs aren't even an issue, but they're convinced that the Club is some vast criminal empire."

Jolene took a sip of her drink just to keep herself from speaking. Opie had Donna convinced that SAMCRO was nothing but a club for Harley enthusiasts who hung around a clubhouse working on their rides and occasionally doing charity runs along the coast of Northern California. At this point, it seemed like Donna's parents were more up to speed than Donna herself. If they had any hope of making it work long term, Opie had to be upfront with her about the Club, its activities, and his level of participation in such activities. It wasn't Jolene's place to educate her friend, no matter how miserable Donna was with the constant tug-o-war between her parents and the love of her life, Opie Winston.

"Listen, I can imagine it's no fun being torn between your parents and Opie," Jolene started, a little envious of not only Donna's relationship with her mother but the fact that she didn't have to hide her love for Opie. "But sometimes you gotta let that shit go. No matter what, we will always end up disappointing our parents by living our lives as we see fit. Your parents just want to protect you from making what they think is a mistake."

Donna was always amazed by how mature and confident in herself her 17 year old friend seemed. "What would you do, in my situation?"

"What? You mean if Jax, the love of my life, were mine?" Jolene laughed nervously and Donna nodded. As much as she wanted to tell her friend that her relationship with Jax had taken a turn into the unexpected, Jolene knew she couldn't. Not yet anyway.

Jolene knew that life as the old lady of an outlaw biker could be tough, and it was unfair that Donna didn't have all the facts. Even during the quiet and prosperous times, the threat of danger and/or incarceration was always there, but if Gemma had taught her one thing by example it was that the love and support of a good old lady could work miracles. "D, if Jax Teller were mine, nothing my dad or Gemma said or did would ever tear me away."

* * *

The next two days were a blur of gun parts and bullets. Jax swore he'd never get the smell of gun oil off his hands or gun powder out of his nostrils, but with Opie's help, he managed to get LaRoy's order completed, tested, and packed a full 18 hours before the Club's run to Oakland. Impressed with Jax's leadership skills his first time running the show, Clay tapped Jax and Opie to accompany Big Otto and Chibs to make the drop with the Niners in Oakland. After loading a total of 8 crates into the cargo van, the crew of four headed out in plainclothes early Thursday morning.

By the time they rolled back onto the T-M lot around Noon, the Sons had brokered another deal with LaRoy. Apparently, while shooting the shit with the Niners' leader while his crew went over the merchandise, Jax told LaRoy that although their pipeline for AKs and MAC-10s was running dry for the next couple of months, the Sons could get their hands on TEC-9s, another favorite of the inner city gangbanger. Shaking on it, LaRoy promised to put Jax in contact with his brother Antoine, the leader of a crew that ran LaRoy's legal prostitution business in Reno.

By the time Clay and Tig picked up payment for the Niners' order two days later, LaRoy had come through on his promise and had his brother present for an informal meeting regarding the TEC-9s. With McKeavey holding true to his offer to open a pipeline for the smaller hardware at a discounted rate, thanks to Jax, the Sons were back in the business of running guns.

* * *

Jax dropped his wrench for the second time in the last 10 minutes and Opie didn't need a clock to tell him exactly what time it was. He stopped what he was doing at the workbench in order to confirm a suspicion. Turning to Jax and the bike he'd been working on, Opie laughed to himself, shaking his head. Yep, school's out and Jolene was at her usual spot on the picnic table outside the Clubhouse allegedly "doing homework." As usual, she was still wearing her school uniform, which Opie was sure had to be illegal within 500 yards of an MC. With her Mary Janes perched on the bench in front of her and a notebook open on her lap, her legs seemed like they stretched for miles until they disappeared beneath the hem of her pleated skirt.

"Fuck!" Jax exclaimed, pulling himself up from a squatting position. This time throwing the wrench down onto the concrete, he brought his aching thumb up to his mouth. Shaking his head, Opie approached his friend and clapped him on the back.

"So, what's the legal age of consent in California again?" Opie teased.

Taking one last, long look at his favorite piece of jail bait, Jax turned to Opie. "Aww, come on, Ope. Seventeen's almost legal." He smiled.

Opie laughed. "Almost don't count, brother and since the only 'law' that really matters around here is her outlaw daddy, almost will get ya killed." He warned.

Jax and Opie both turned to look at Jolene. Once upon a time, she had been a skinny tomboy in baggy jeans and flannel shirts. Flat as a board, Jolene went barely noticed as she hung around the garage shadowing her dad and learning as much as she could from the T-M crew. Even though she was four years younger, Jax and Opie never had a problem letting her hang out with them because she never had a problem keeping up. Jolene had been doing tequila shots with Piney since she was 14 and Jax had been the one who had given her her first herb shotgun.

Jax was also semi-responsible for the probation Jolene was currently on. After a drunk redneck had sucker-punched an equally drunk Jax, she had taken a metal bat to the poor bastard. What a difference a year makes. As far as Opie was concerned, she'd always be the pain in the ass little sister he never had. Jax, on the other hand, seemed to have no problem conveniently forgetting that she was his stepsister.

Little did Opie know, Jax knew exactly what Jolene was hiding under that indecently tight button-down white shirt and plaid skirt. Instead of confirming that he was already guilty of breaking numerous laws, both biblical and secular, countless of times with Jolene, Jax would continue to keep his best friend in the dark. He had to. He had promised Jolene, who didn't want anyone knowing they were together before Clay did. They were exceptionally close as far as father and daughter relationships went, and she wanted to spare her dad the jail time for murder. He was still sore with Jax for Jolene having to plead no contest to assault and menacing. She'd be 18, out of high school, and off probation soon enough.

So for now, Jax played along. "When the hell did all that happen?" Jax asked Opie, even though he had been asking himself that same question for weeks now. Even though it was common knowledge that Jolene had harbored a crush on Jax since she was 11, she had snuck up on him and crawled under his skin. He was completely whipped.

Opie shook his head. "Must be something in the water, or maybe you were just too preoccupied to notice," He said, averting any direct discussion of Tara and her flight from Charming. "Clay's not blind. Why would he let her hang around the Clubhouse, especially dressed like that?"

"Of course he's blind. He's her dad. I don't think any father wants to admit, especially to himself that his daughter is fuckin' hot." Jax explained. "Besides, he knows there are many around here that would kill to protect her." He added, falling into overprotective mode himself.

"Yeah, you just remember that." Opie advised as he turned his attention back to the workbench.

Jax leaned against the bike, his arms crossed over his chest. If she wanted to keep their relationship just between the two of them, she was going to have to stop teasing him like that in public. She called it foreplay. He called it being a cocktease, especially since it's been a few days since they had been able to find time alone together. Feeling like an obsessed stalker, Jax laughed at himself and was about to turn his attention back to the bike when Jolene suddenly looked up and made eye contact with him. She flashed a coy smile as she proceeded to suck on her pen like she would a lollipop. Jax did a double take and, before he could stop himself, he flashed her a wolfish grin that let her know she was in for it later.

The Clubhouse door suddenly opened and out came Bobby, who stalked towards the picnic table. He pointed at the door he'd just come through as he spoke to Jolene. Flashing Jax with one last lopsided smile, Jolene jumped off the table and bounced on into the Clubhouse.

Sensing a hole being seared into his face, Jax looked up and saw Bobby watching him watch a retreating Jolene. Bobby quirked an eyebrow at him. Jax could almost hear Bobby "tsk, tsk, tsk" as he shook his head and wagged his finger at Jax. The man Jolene called Uncle Elvis was just as overprotective as her own father, just not as prone to breaking Jax's neck without a warning first and, if Jax knew Bobby, he'd just been warned.

Jax pushed himself away from the bike and went back to work. Bobby shook his head and smiled. "Shit, Gemma's right," He mumbled to himself as he went back to the Clubhouse. Apparently, Gemma had witnessed Jax enjoying the view his stepsister had been flashing in his direction and had called Bobby at the Clubhouse to get Jolene to change into something less likely to get Jax killed by Clay.

Yeah, Bobby had seen it coming a mile away. Jax always had an eye for the ladies and lately Jolene had blossomed into something spectacular. It was just a matter of time until he rebounded from Tara and Jolene piqued his interest. From the way he had been eying her today, Bobby was willing to bet his 1948 Knucklehead that time was now. Goddaughter or not, Bobby couldn't really blame Jax 'cause they sure didn't make 'em stacked like that when he was in high school.

Knowing that Jolene's been sporting a huge crush on Jax since she was barely a tween, Gemma feared that Mother Nature would eventually conspire with Jolene to make Jax notice her. It was in her genes. Her mother had been a knockout, as much as Gemma hated to admit it. She knew they were just putting off the inevitable. Puberty had been extremely generous to Jolene and Jax wasn't known to let a huge rack and a tight round ass go unnoticed. Along with Bobby running interference between her son and Jolene, Gemma just wanted to make sure that Jolene was at least legal first.

"Okay," Jolene re-entered the main room of the Clubhouse with her school uniform balled up in her arms. She had changed into low riding jeans and a white, midriff-baring tank top. Bobby shook his head. How was this any better? Seeing the look on Bobby's face, Jolene smiled as she shoved her school clothes into her backpack. "If it makes you feel any better, I have a hoodie in the car."

She could be wrapped in a burka and Bobby suspected it wouldn't make a lick of difference. When the hell did all this happen? "No, it doesn't make me feel better but it'll have to do, I guess." Bobby conceded, as long as it wasn't his balls in a vise the next time Gemma saw her.

"If it's alright with you, I'm gonna hook up with some friends at the library and work on my term paper, okay?" Jolene almost laughed as Bobby slumped his shoulders with a visible sigh of relief. Thank God, Bobby said to himself. With Jolene off the lot, protecting her virtue from a bunch of horny bikers would prove to be a lot easier.

Jolene finished packing her backpack and threw it on her shoulder. "I'll be back in time for after-Church tonight."

"Oh hell's no!" Bobby almost bellowed, shaking his head so hard he was making himself woozy.

"Ah, come on, Uncle Elvis," Jolene protested. "My dad said it was okay. We're all family here."

"I don't know what kinda of Timothy Leary-worthy shit you've been slippin' into your dad's morning coffee but he must be outta his fuckin' mind, Kitten." Bobby argued.

"He's not. He just knows I'm more than capable of handling my own shit and that I have good judgment." Jolene explained.

Bobby laughed as he walked up to Jolene and leaned into her. "Like the good judgment you've shown by dangling yourself in front of the blonde wolf out there?"

Jolene threw Bobby a lopsided grin. "What? You think he notices me?"

"Kit, sometimes I think I love you more than my own kids, so this is coming straight from my fatherly heart to you," Bobby started. "You ain't fucking stupid! A man with no pulse and his dick lying next to him in a box would be hard pressed not to notice you. You know as well as I do that both Jax _**and**_ his dick noticed you, and you know what happens when Jax's dick notices a broad."

"Gee, you'd think that Jax punching my V-card was a gimme." Jolene said defensively, knowing all too well that's where the money was cuz he already had.

"You mean it's not?" Bobby said in mock horror. He wasn't an idiot but some things were better left unsaid, so he was gonna drop it there.

Jolene put her hand on the shoulder of Bobby's cut. "I'm just coming to keep the Prospect company while he runs around being everyone's bitch tonight."

"Juice?" Bobby quirked an eyebrow at her. The Prospect seemed like a nice enough kid who was now quickly proving to be dumb as shit if he thought hanging around the Prez's underage daughter would go unnoticed.

"We're just friends, I promise." Jolene replied. "Please don't haze him 'cause of me. All we do is talk, and not everyone I talk to wants to get into my pants."

Bobby laughed to himself. That was as naive a statement as he has ever heard and he had to hand it to her, she almost had him fooled. She was as clever and conniving as her old man. Jax was Juice's sponsor. 'Nuff said. Bobby only hoped the poor asshole had enough sense to get out of the way when he saw Jax coming.

* * *

By the time Jolene strutted across the parking lot to her Mustang, Jax had washed and changed into a clean long-sleeved t-shirt and his cut. Now, he was sitting on his bike, gearing up while Jolene pulled a dark navy hoodie from the backseat and threw it on. Jax smiled to himself as he finished pulling on his riding gloves and slipped on his sunglasses. She had just thrown him the sign he'd been hoping to see. She only wore that hoodie when she wanted to meet him out by the streams just outside Charming.

Slipping into the driver's seat, Jolene discretely dialed Jax's number and put her phone on speaker. Feeling his phone vibrate just as he was out to tear out of the lot, Jax stopped and pulled it out.

"Hey, darlin'," Jax drawled into the phone. "I got your message." He smiled as he watched her throw her car in drive and peal out of the lot.

"I wanna leave my car in the library parking lot." Jolene spoke into the phone on her lap. "Pick me up?"

"You sure that's a good idea?" Jax asked.

"Prolly not but I wanna rub myself up on ya and feel you up on the way to the streams." Jolene teased.

"You don't have to ask twice, darlin'. I'll be right there."

* * *

Jolene was sitting on Jax's lap with her legs wrapped around his waist. His hands buried in her tangle of black curls, Jax was holding her head back as he nuzzled and kissed her neck. She was giggling as she desperately tried to reach behind her with one hand, holding steady with the other on Jax's shoulder, in order to grab her tank top that he had carelessly thrown onto the grass.

"What did you do with my bra?" Jolene laughed as Jax tried to pull the shirt out of her hand while trailing kisses up her neck and to her mouth.

"I think I threw it up a tree," Jax replied against her lips. Jolene pulled back and gave Jax the stink eye. "What?" He laughed. "I hate that thing."

"I don't know how to break it to you but I'm not exactly built for prancing around town without a bra." Jolene said.

Grabbing onto her bare ass, Jax shifted his weight until he was in a position where he could lay Jolene down on the blanket they had set out earlier and proceeded to make himself at home between her legs, again.

"You say that like it's a bad thing, darlin'," He smiled down at her as he rubbed his hardening cock against her thigh.

Jolene's eyes widened as she came to the conclusion he probably wasn't taking her home anytime soon.

"Jax, baby, what are you doing?" Jolene moaned, realizing that the library closes at 6:00 on Friday.

"Keep moaning like that, sweetheart," He dipped his head to her breast and sucked on her nipple until it peaked. "And I'll show you exactly what I'm doing."

Jolene arched her back as she balled her fists in his hair, bringing his mouth to her other breast. Without hesitation, Jax sucked it into his mouth, his teeth grazing it lightly as Jolene let out another throaty moan. Fuck her term paper! Her first draft was due in a couple of days but this man was too good for her to even think about giving a shit.

Jolene let out a surprised combination yelp/giggle as he thrust himself into her.

"Ahh, you like that?" He teased, moving in and out slowly and deliberately. She nodded while biting her lip and fighting to keep her eyes from rolling to the back of her head. Wrapping one leg around Jax's thigh, Jolene wrapped her other leg around his waist, gripping him tight.

"Oh my God," Jolene opened her eyes and took Jax's face into her hands. "What are you doing to me, baby?" She breathed against his mouth in between kisses.

"Shit, darlin," Now it was Jax's turn to breathe heavily. He could ask her the same question. What had she done to him this past month that had him believing he would die if he couldn't be inside her like this?

She was moving her hips against his, coaxing him to go just a little faster, a little deeper. Her wish being his every command, he did and was rewarded with her nails raking his back until her hands found his rounded, muscular ass. She was pulling him deeper still as Jax pushed himself harder and faster, forcing her magnificent tits to bounce between them with each thrust.

Not wanting to miss a single emotion play out on her face, Jax brushed her hair back as he whispered for her to come for him. Jolene was biting her lip again as her hands flew up to grip his shoulders. She was nodding, her eyes half-hooded and fogged up with pent up passion searching for release.

"Close?" He asked and Jolene nodded again, unable to speak but for the small whimpering sounds that escaped her lips. Suddenly, her eyes flying open, Jolene gasped and Jax groaned as he felt her contracting around his dick. She was tight to begin with but shit, this was killing him. "Come on, darlin'. Ladies first," He managed to pull his grimace of self-control into a smile.

With a scream that seemingly came out of nowhere, Jolene arched her back as spasm after spasm rolled over her, leaving a warming vibration in its wake that started between her legs and flowed towards her toes and up her torso, hardening already impossibly taut nipples. Burying his face in the hollow of her neck, Jax moaned as with great relief he finally allowed his own release.

* * *

The later it got on Friday nights, the rowdier the Clubhouse became. The lights were dim, the music was loud, and the alcohol was flowing freely. Two topless sweetbutts in G-strings had taken to the stripper pole and were now in the midst of examining each other's throats with their tongues as a chorus of Sons and hang-arounds cheered them on.

Jolene rolled her eyes and turned back to her conversation with Juice, who in spite of all the half-naked women making themselves available to anyone in a cut (with or without top rockers), had not left her side since Donna had taken off with Opie, leaving her without a ride home.

Jax had his temper barely under control. He was sitting on a couch clear across the room, trying to pretend he was interested in the game of pool Bobby and Chibs were currently engaged in. In fact, the only thing keeping him entertained was thinking up creative and painful ways to torture his Prospect before killing him. After sex was apparently the perfect time for Jolene to ask anything of Jax because that was the only explanation he had for agreeing to her coming to the Clubhouse after Church when she'd asked earlier at the streams. Every man in the goddamned room had his eye on her. The only thing keeping them from approaching her was the fact that they all knew she was his stepsister, but Jax had a feeling that would change the drunker the crowd got.

Deciding to put an end to it even before it began, Jax took a final gulp of his beer, mindlessly handing the almost-empty bottle to the blonde in the tight skirt that had been hanging off of him for most of the night and headed towards Jolene. Walking behind the bar, Jax pulled out a bottle of whiskey and slammed a shot glass on the counter, startling those sitting at the bar, including Jolene. Jax poured himself a shot and downed it.

"Shouldn't you be heading home?" He asked Jolene, his jealous boyfriend routine thinly veiled as brotherly concern.

Jolene quirked an eyebrow at him. "I don't turn into a pumpkin at midnight." She replied, slightly annoyed. Did he think she was blind or stupid? She had seen that little slut all but jerking him off.

"Things are starting to break down around here," Jax said, referring to the debauchery already on display, including the croweater currently on her knees, blowing a hairy and bloated Son from the Tacoma charter. "I think it's time for you to go." He said, leaving no room for argument.

Fighting her immediate instinct to do just that, argue, Jolene threw Jax a wide and pretty smile that didn't quite make it to her bright green eyes. Turning to Juice, she announced, "I think I'm ready to go home now."

Juice looked to Jax, who was glaring at him hard enough to burn a hole through his forehead. "Maybe," Juice started and stopped to clear his throat as his voice came out as a tight squeak. "Maybe Jax should take you home. I still have a lot of shit to get done around here." He said and before Jolene could respond, Juice jumped off his stool and headed in whatever direction took him as far away as possible from Jax's stepsister.

"Let's go," Jax said, waiting for Jolene to make a move towards the door. She turned and looked at him like she had no intention of going anywhere. "Let's. Go." He demanded. With eyes narrowed into slits, Jolene turned and slid off the stool, and headed to the Clubhouse door, with Jax following close behind.

The gathering inside the Clubhouse was subdued compared to what was going on outside. Happy, the Tacoma killer, was handing some poor smuck his ass in the ring. The barbeque was blazing and the music was blasting. Squeezing past bodies crowding the area surrounding the Clubhouse, Jolene crossed the lot and stopped at Jax's bike, her arms crossed and refusing to make eye contact with him.

"Until we can tell people about us, Jolene, I don't want you hanging around the Clubhouse," Jax started in a hushed tone, shocking Jolene. "Especially on a Friday night."

"Why? You afraid I was gonna see you take that blonde skank back to your dorm?" Jolene confronted Jax angrily.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jax was incredulous. He had had eyes only for her the whole night. He's only had eyes for Jolene for the past several weeks. What blonde was she talking about?

"Jax, I understand that what happens on a run, stays on a run. Out of sight, out of mind. I didn't see it, it didn't happen, and all that happy crap, but that shit's not happening here in Charming. I so much as catch of whiff of sweetbutt or croweater stank on you, it is over."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jax asked again, exasperated.

"That blonde skank all over your junk in there!" Jolene almost yelled. "Had I not been here tonight, you'd be nailing her as we speak."

Who was she talking about? The sweetbutt that had spent the night fetching him beers he hadn't asked for, needed, or wanted? He had never laid a hand on-Oh, shit, he didn't even know her name. "Nah," Jax started. "I didn't bring you out here to discuss me, darlin'. We need to make one thing clear: You need a ride and I'm not around, you call a cab. I don't care if it's out there or not, your pussy belongs to me."

Jolene fell back a couple of steps as if Jax had physically pushed her. "What did you just say?" She managed to sputter out, her face a contorted mask of confusion. She had never seen the emotion and barely under control rage that was rolling off of Jax in waves, not even at the club with Doug and Frankie. There was a certain possessiveness in his eyes that had not been there that Friday in Oakland that took her breath away.

Jax realized he was coming across like an asshole, yet he pretty much didn't give a shit. Not being able to see her regularly for the past couple of weeks was driving him crazy. "You heard me."

Realizing that he had made precisely her point, in the most spectacularly vulgar and offensive way possible, Jolene smiled smugly. "It works both ways, Jax. Your dick's mine and no skanks are taking it for a ride, either."

Jax shook his head. She wasn't going to change the subject on him by turning the tables. "I'm warning you, darlin', I catch you on a bike that ain't Clay's or Bobby's, it won't be pretty."

"You're threatening me?"

"Not you, Jo. Just the dumbass stupid enough to offer you a ride."

"Juice is a friend, Jax. He knows my ride ditched me and just offered to take me home."

"Unless you want to be the reason they find pieces of the Prospect scattered along the I-22, I suggest your friendship ends as of right now." Jax said with quiet menace.

"Oh my God! What is wrong with you?"

"I'll chain him to the back of my bike and I'll take _**him**_ for a ride."

Jolene's mouth fell open.

"Are we clear?"

Slowly recovering from her shock, Jolene shook her head. "NO! We are not clear. Did you just threaten to kill your own Prospect because of me?"

Jax folded his arms across his chest and leaned against his bike. "Yeah, I did." He replied calmly. "And I don't think you want to test me on this, darlin'."

Oh my God, Jolene lamented. There is something truly wrong with me, she thought. That was the hottest thing anybody could have ever said to her. She took a step towards Jax with every intention of sucking the very life force out of him through his mouth, but stopped herself as she remembered where they were and who may be watching.

"Take me home, Jax," Jolene nearly begged. "And I don't mind if we got lost along the way."

* * *

Kyle knew he was ten sheets to the wind. Lately, he usually ended his days that way but on Fridays, it was almost always a goddamn guarantee. In spite of the fact that he could probably piss a fifth of Johnnie Walker Black, Kyle knew what he had seen from his perch on the picnic table outside the Clubhouse. Jax and Jolene. Who did they think they were fooling? Sure, he hadn't heard a word they had said to each other from across the lot, but Kyle had been on the receiving end of many of April's tirades, before and during their marriage, to know a lovers' quarrel when he saw one. Banging the Mother Charter President's underage daughter was probably a bad career move, even for the likes of Jax Teller. At the very least, it was bound to take some of the shine off of the SAMCRO golden boy's suit of armor.

Kyle Hobart was going to make sure of it.


	6. Busted

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

Kyle rolled over onto this back, his face numb and sticky. More than likely, he had passed out face first onto his bed early this morning. Judging from the mess on his pillow, it was probably lucky he had or he would have choked on his own vomit. Last thing he remembered was bringing some barely-legal sweetbutt back to his dorm along with a bottle of tequila. That had been the fatal flaw in his plan for getting laid last night. He should have just gone for the new pussy, but having run out of his drink of choice, Kyle had grabbed the first bottle he could find from the nearly depleted bar. Tequila was not his friend and they sure as hell did not get along, but it had served its purpose well. It helped him forget just how much he missed April and the kids. It had apparently helped him forget everything else as well because he'd be damned if he remembered banging the sweetbutt. As a matter of fact, he had woken up alone. I guess that's what happens when you spew in your sleep, Kyle thought bitterly. No one wants to share a bed with ya.

It was on mornings like this that had Kyle convinced that his old lady was done chasing after him. It's been nearly two months since she put him out and aside from calling to talk about the kids or to bitch about unpaid bills, Kyle hadn't seen April or been allowed to step foot inside his own damn house. Pussy was just pussy. He loved his wife. She knew that, didn't she? Realizing too late what a mistake it was, Kyle ran his hands over his face and through his closely cropped hair.

"Aww, shit!" He moaned. He'd just given himself a puke facial and had proceeded to rub it into his hair. He really needed to get his shit together, he thought as he made his way into the bathroom.

Stepping into the steaming hot shower, the water cascading over Kyle's face and down his tattooed back seemed to work wonders for his clarity. With Jax and most of the Club scheduled to be out of town for the next four days, Kyle might be able to find the opportunity to bounce a theory off of Clay. As a father himself, how should he approach a man and drop hints that his stepson may or may not be tapping his 17 year old daughter?

After watching them for weeks, Kyle was convinced now more than ever that that's exactly what was going on. He just couldn't understand how it wasn't obvious to everyone else as well. Even though Jax and Jolene always seemed to avoid each other in the presence of others, somehow they always managed to end up in the same room together when no one else was around. Kyle hadn't seen Jax lay a finger on Jolene yet, except for a brotherly peck here and there, nothing that was unusual before, but he had caught the looks they gave each other when they thought no one was watching. Since her return from Seattle, Kyle had seen Jax giving her the once-over more than once. Most of his brothers, including Kyle himself, were guilty of the same shit. Who could blame him? She was all tits and tight ass. And if that wasn't enough, she had these huge, fucking gorgeous eyes that sucked you in and kept you in her orbit. There was a brain behind those eyes, too. There was also a little bit of a smart ass and a touch of a bad ass with a quick wit as well. She had old lady material written all over her, and lately, Jax had gone from looking at her with furtive lustful glances to making and holding actual eye contact with her. What was telling, though, was the way Jolene looked back at him. That she was in love was no secret. Everyone had always known she's harbored a crush on Teller since she was a kid. What gave it away was the sparkle in those incredible eyes that betrayed the fact that she knew that Jax loved her right back. Her eyes actually fuckin' smiled when Jax was in the room! Not even April had ever looked at him that way.

For a guy though, Kyle knew lust and love were interchangeable and a mere change in the way Jax looked at Jolene wasn't enough of a confirmation. But the whisper of rumors that Teller had taken to going to bed alone, and not just in Charming either, but on runs as well certainly spoke volumes. His usual cache of sweetbutts and croweaters were in a tizzy as their whole world revolved around Jax's dick. Teller loved pussy. That fact was as well known, if not more so, as the fact that the sun rose in the East and set in the West. If they weren't fuckin Teller, then who was? How no one else had put two and two together and figured this shit out already was beyond Kyle. That was just another example of how Teller had the Club, this whole damned town, under his thumb. Well, pretty boy wasn't going to remain untouchable for long and if Kyle managed to get Jax killed as a result, oh well. Jolene would get over it.

The aroma of Bobby's banana nut bread was wafting through the Clubhouse. Who didn't love that shit? Everyone loved it, including Kyle. It always reminded him of home but not this morning. All it did was remind him that tequila was no longer a menu option for him. Pulling on his cut as he made his way into the main room, Kyle could hear Clay's booming voice as he recounted just one of the many fights he, Piney, and John Teller always managed to find themselves in the middle of back in the day. Piney was laughing so hard he was actually wheezing.

"Hey old man," Tig pushed Piney's portable oxygen tank across the bar towards him. "Take a hit!"

"Fuck off!" Piney said gruffly, pushing Tig's hand away. "And give me my bottle back." He demanded, indicating his Patron that Clay had ever so subtly pushed away from him.

"It's not even 9 o'clock yet, Pop." Opie called out from the table he was sharing with Jax.

"Don't knock it 'til ya try it," Piney replied, holding up a piece of banana bread in one hand and a shot glass of tequila in another. "The breakfast of Champions."

Clay shook his head, giving his old friend a weary look. "You boys need to be hitting the road soon." He directed at Jax.

"Yeah," Jax agreed, stubbing out his cigarette. He got up from the table and tapped Opie on the shoulder. "Let's get that shit loaded." He said referring to the bedrolls they had packed last night with Antoine's shipment and that would return with a hefty payment to the Club. Usually, the Sons delivered first and made arrangements for the cash exchange at a later date. This time, much to Tig's utter delight, the run to Antoine's brothel would last four days, with the Sons making the drop-off and collecting payment all in one trip. The Mayan presence in Nevada had taken the Sons by surprise during their last run and Clay was afraid that maybe they had caught wind of the Club's expanding gun business and would soon come looking for a piece of the pie.

As everyone headed out to the parking lot, Tig smacked Kyle on the back of his cut. "You should really come with, bro." He said putting his hand on Kyle's shoulder and shaking him slightly. "All the free hooker pussy your dick can handle, man. Antoine sets 'em out like a fuckin' buffet."

"I need him here," Clay called out over his shoulder before Kyle could respond. "And you," He spun around to point his finger at Tig. "Take it easy on Antoine's girls, alright? It's too soon in our partnership to go making an enemy out of a friend."

Tig was shaking his head. "No need to worry, brother. I am a lover of the ladies of the night and would never hurt 'em. Unless they wanted me to, that is." Tig made his way to his bike as Clay continued glaring after him.

Pulling into the parking lot, Jolene parked her car and walked over to where her father and Bobby were standing, throwing a casual glance over her shoulder as Donna exited the car and ran into Opie's open arms. Jax was squatting behind his bike, securing several bedrolls, when he spotted her. Stopping what he was doing, he gave her a slight nod and a barely-there wink with a sly half smile on his face. Jolene smiled back and Kyle was about to blow a gasket. How come no one saw this?

Strolling up to her dad, Jolene threw her arms around his neck and gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. Moving on to Bobby, she wrapped her arm around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder as he dropped a fatherly kiss on her forehead.

"You think it's possible to have someone look at my car today, dad?" She asked.

"What's wrong with it?" Clay asked, chomping on his cigar. "That's a new car."

"It's used," Jolene corrected gently.

"It's new to you," Clay replied, a snarky grin on his face.

"Ha, ha." Jolene yawned. "It rattles something fierce whenever I go above 85."

Bobby chuckled, Jolene's head bobbing up and down as Clay glared down at her.

"How's about not going above 85?" Clay was incredulous. "Jesus Christ, Jolene. That lead foot of yours is gonna be the death of me."

"Please." Jolene pouted prettily.

Clay was exasperated. "So between you and Gemma, who's got custody of my balls today?" He asked sarcastically, once again failing to come through on his threat of taking her car away if she didn't calm the fuck down behind the wheel. Jolene broke away from Bobby and kissed Clay again. "If someone's available, I'll have 'em check it out. I can't promise shit, though."

"Thank you, daddy." Jolene said, walking away.

"Yeah, now I'm 'daddy'. You want my wallet, too?" Clay rolled his eyes.

"Well, if you're offering," Jolene turned and gave him a cheeky smile.

"Hey, wait! No community service today?" Remembering it was Saturday, Clay called after her.

Jolene's shoulders slumped. "Dad, we talked about this. I'm done with community service. I do have a meeting with McAllister scheduled for next Saturday, though, so technically, it's not over yet."

"Good for you," Clay smiled. "Now that your Saturdays are free, we could use the help around here. Still remember how to fix a carburetor?"

"What?" Jolene put her hand up to her ear as she backed away. "I can't hear you. The roar of these bikes and all." She lied as no one had started their bike yet. Throwing her father a slick smile, Jolene ran across the lot to where Opie and Jax were gearing up.

"She grew up so damn fast," Clay marveled, kind of missing his little tomboy shadow. "I remember when I couldn't get her out from under the hood of a car short of drop-kicking her."

"She probably doesn't want to mess up her manicure or some girly shit like that." Bobby shrugged his shoulders. As much as he loved women, he wasn't even going to pretend he knew what planet they hailed from.

"She dating anyone?" Kyle threw out, in relation to nothing, causing Clay and Bobby to look at each other before turning towards him with the same incredulous look on their faces. "I have a daughter, too." He quickly defended himself.

"Ain't she like two?" Bobby questioned. Please don't let this asshole even think about going there. He has his hands full enough with Jax sniffing around his goddaughter.

"She's four, actually," Kyle replied. Maybe he had taken the wrong approach. "I was just curious. You know, father to father."

Clay brought his cigar up to his mouth, still looking at Kyle through narrowed eyes. "No, she's not." He responded but Clay realized that he wasn't really sure that was the right answer. He knew Jolene had been on group dates before moving to Seattle, but those had been nothing more than just a bunch of her friends from school getting together to go to the movies. Back then, the boys hadn't taken the time to look past her almost androgynous exterior to get to know his little diamond in the rough. Their loss. But now, Clay had no clue what the deal was with boys and his daughter. Since her return to Charming, he's only seen her hanging out with Jax and, to a lesser extent, Opie, who had now hooked up with Jolene's BFF Donna. She's been MIA around the Clubhouse after school, as well. Clay suddenly realized, unpleasantly, that he had no clue what his daughter was up to lately.

Jolene approached Jax's bike, hips swaying and her hands tucked into the pockets of her fitted leather jacket. Jax was sitting on his bike, watching her from behind his sunglasses as he pulled on his riding gloves.

"Don't these two ever take a break?" Jolene asked, throwing her thumb over her shoulder at Opie and Donna, who seemed to be seared together at the lips.

Jax smiled. "Jealous?" He teased.

Jolene feigned a frown. "A little."

Jax leaned forward slightly. "Me, too." He stage whispered before throwing on his helmet.

"Let's hit the road!" Tig called out impatiently from his bike. "Reno pussy's getting cold!" Catching the look of horror on Donna's face as Jolene shook her head in disbelief, Tig quickly apologized. "Sorry, ladies . . . But let's go!"

"I miss you already." Donna was holding Opie's face as he tried to put his helmet on.

Jolene casually leaned against Jax's handlebars. "What she said." She directed at Jax while watching Donna and Opie moon over each other.

"Ditto." Jax smiled, his farewell send-off out at the streams last night still vivid in his mind.

Playfully pushing Donna out of the way, Jolene wrapped her arms around Opie's neck and kissed his cheek. "Do me a favor and take care of each other."

"Always do," Opie replied.

Turning to Jax, Jolene dropped a light kiss on his cheek. "Come home to me, okay?" Jolene whispered before pulling away.

"You know it." Jax promised.

* * *

By the time Jax and the rest had hit the road for Reno, Jolene had made herself scarce on the lot, dragging Donna along with her. Disappointed, Clay left Bobby at the Clubhouse and headed to T-M's offices. He should have said something earlier, before she took off, but Clay had hoped Jolene would hang around a little longer. A simple question from Kyle had Clay thinking that maybe he should spend more of his free time with his daughter.

"Hi, honey," Gemma greeted Clay from her chair as he entered the office. Taking off her reading glasses, she threw them on the desk and picked up a sheet of paper. "Who's available today to handle the repos? The bank faxed over an updated list last night."

Clay shrugged his shoulders. "You can have the Prospect, but we are light on manpower and I can't spare any of my mechanics."

"It's a two-man job." Gemma stated.

"Send Kyle with him then." Clay suggested.

Gemma gave Clay a smug look. "You know he thinks he's above that shit, right? You tell him 'cause I'm not dealing with a full-grown man with more attitude than your teenage daughter."

"Speaking of which," Clay sat on the edge of her desk. "You notice anything different about Jolene lately?" He asked casually, folding his arms across his chest.

Gemma's back involuntarily stiffened. Where the hell was this coming from? "You mean aside from the usual teenage mood swings and angst? No, nothing."

Clay was thoughtful for a moment and Gemma had her mental fingers crossed that, whatever he was thinking, her answer had been satisfactory enough.

Clay was looking at Gemma again. "She ever talk to you about boys?"

Aw, shit! "Nope." Gemma replied, brushing wisps of hair out of her eyes. "To tell you the truth, we're barely ever in the same room long enough to talk." She added and quickly realized she should have kept her mouth shut.

"You know, that's what I've been thinking. I mean, I know she's been busy with school and her probation, but what does she do with her free time? I hardly see her around here anymore. And I never see her with anyone outside the Club except for Donna." Clay stated, his eyes suddenly narrowing. "You don't think that maybe she likes girls?"

Gemma almost laughed out loud. No, Gemma was 100% positive that Jolene was strictly dickly. She was also 99.9% positive she knew what Jolene was doing with her free time, or rather, who she was doing.

Gemma got up from her chair and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. "Sweetheart, I'm sure she's not into girls. She's just growing up and it's completely normal for her to have a life that you know absolutely nothing about." She explained.

Clay shook his head impatiently. "I know that. I don't like it, but I know it. It's just that, I don't know if you've noticed, she's not the same as when she left for Seattle." The fact that he could say that with a straight face was enough to convince Gemma that her dear husband had been in deep, deep denial.

"That's a bit of an understatement, don't you think?" Gemma asked. "Jolene's always been precocious and wise beyond her years, and I'm sorry to break it to you, honey, but she returned to Charming as someone who's bound to attract a lot of attention, especially from the opposite sex."

"Whoa, I'm not blind, Gemma." Clay said. Extracting himself from Gemma's embrace, he went to stand on the opposite side of the room. "Most of the time, I look at her and I still see that small, frightened little girl that dropped out of nowhere and into my life. What scares the shit out of me is the times I look at her and see what everybody else sees. What pieces of shit like Kyle Hobart see." Had he taken his cortisone shots that morning, Clay would have probably knocked the snot out of Kyle.

"Kyle?" Gemma asked, confused and somewhat relieved that Clay had sniffed out the wrong culprit.

Clay was pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's stupid," He started, now convinced that he was more upset with Kyle for asking what Clay himself should have been asking his daughter. The signs have been cropping up all over the place these past few weeks. Jolene was spending less time at home and around the Clubhouse. She was dressing different. She was attached to that damn cell phone, always running out of the room to take a call. "It's a scary thing waking up one morning and realizing your baby girl is not who you thought she was, you know. Jolene's a good kid, but I just can't shake the feeling that's she hiding something."

Gemma swallowed the lump in her throat before speaking. "Would it be such an awful thing if she was seeing someone . . . of the opposite sex, that is?" Gemma asked, nonchalantly.

Clay was looking at Gemma like he wanted to crawl into her brain. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Gemma's eyes widened in shock that she hoped to pass off as disbelief that he would ask her such a thing. There was no point in Gemma sharing what she thought she knew for a fact before she had confirmation. No sense sending Clay off the deep end before she could start the process of damage control.

"No, I'm not, but speaking as a former 17-year old girl, I can tell you that yes, more than likely, she's seeing someone." Gemma explained. "I also know that you two have the sort of relationship I wish I'd had with my own father, even though it would have changed the course of my life. Whatever is going on with her, Jolene will talk to you when she's ready. She's on the brink of major life changers: turning 18, graduation, college. Just give her a minute to process it all."

Clay chuckled. "Yeah, you're right. I'm probably just over-reacting. It just that I remember all too well what it's like being a 17 year-old, hormone-driven, sack-of-shit, girl-crazy boy."

For Jax's sake, Gemma thought, I just hope you don't remember what it's like being a horny, 21-year old biker, too.

* * *

Jolene was sitting on the picnic table outside the Clubhouse trying to remind herself that she really loved Donna and that punching her in the face would probably end their friendship. Her best friend was a giant ball of coiled energy and excitement and all she could do was chatter on and on about how much she had missed Opie and couldn't wait to jump into his arms the minute she laid eyes on him.

Yeah, Jolene was a little jealous.

Jax, Opie, Tig, and Chibs were scheduled to return tonight from their second run to Reno. In anticipation, Clay had closed the garage early and there were more people than usual for a Tuesday night milling about the parking lot. The mood was festive and a party was sure to break out the moment the four rode onto the lot. As usual, Donna had no clue, but the Sons had successfully closed another gun deal with Antoine and when they finally returned, the Club would be $100,000 richer. While Donna and the other old ladies would be busy welcoming their men home, Jolene would probably go unnoticed as she sulked after a four-day separation from Jax and was forced to watch as some random whore rubbed herself up on the seemingly unattached blonde biker. It was definitely a mistake coming tonight, but what excuse could she have possibly given for not being there, especially when her dad was so over the moon with the Club's recent successes? Jolene promised herself that she'd wait out their arrival, leaving before some sweetbutt made her move on Jax.

Donna was practically sitting on her hands in an effort to keep herself from fidgeting. "I'm getting on your nerves, right?" She asked Jolene, her head cocked to the side.

Startled back from her sweetbutt-murdering daydreams, Jolene turned to her friend and smiled. "Nah, I miss the boys, too." She replied. Jolene couldn't remember the last time all four of them had hung out as friends. It must have been before she moved to Seattle. "We never hang out anymore. I hardly recognize Ope."

Donna threw her head back and laughed. "That's probably because of that stupid buzz cut he got a few weeks ago."

"Yeah, I didn't wanna say nothing, but damn!" Jolene laughed. "What the hell was he thinking?"

"He loves me, Jo," Donna got suddenly serious, her eyes wide and already wet with unshed tears. "He did it 'cause he loves me and he wanted to 'clean up' for my parents' sake."

Jolene snaked her arm around Donna's waist and pulled her towards her for a side hug. "You're a lucky girl, D." She started, dangerously close to getting weepy herself. "Ope's a great guy, with a big heart. If your parents can't see that now, he can shave his head and start wearing robes like the Dalai Lama and it won't make a lick of difference."

Wiping away a few stray tears, Donna started giggling again at the visual in her mind of Opie rocking the Dalai Lama's look. "Yeah, I think that might make things worse, don't you?" She asked as they laughed.

Suddenly, the thundering roar of Harleys coming down Main Street could be heard over the music and Jolene's heart tightened in her chest. Clay, Gemma, and Big Otto headed for the entrance of the parking lot with a crowd of other charter members, hang-arounds, and scantily clad women gathered behind them already cheering. The MC was on a winning streak lately after a period of bloody confrontations with the Mayans and extreme highs and lows when it came to earning. Every successful run with the Sons coming back whole was a cause for celebration.

Jolene lost Donna the moment the bikes entered the lot with Jax and Opie leading the procession. She broke through the crowd and, true to her promise, jumped into Opie's arms almost before he had managed to climb off his bike. Jolene closed her eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks to whoever was in charge that the boys, especially her Jax, had made it back home safe and sound. In order to distract herself, Jolene went in search of something to drink.

Jax was in the midst of receiving congratulatory back-slapping hugs from his brothers while actively seeking out the only person he wanted to lay eyes on. Finally seeing her through the crowd sitting alone on the picnic table, Jax almost willed Jolene to look at him. When their eyes finally connected, he could see her biting her lip to keep herself from throwing a knowing smile at him. Fuck, he'd give his left nut if he could make the world disappear just long enough for a proper greeting from his girl. When they last spoke the night before, Jolene had told him that she didn't think it would be a good idea for her to be at the Clubhouse tonight. He knew she was right, but he was too selfish to deprive himself from merely sharing the same air space with her after four days apart. He had convinced them both that seeing each other would be enough for him until they were able to find time alone together, but he was quickly coming to terms with how wrong he had been.

After spending the requisite amount of time walking around shooting the shit with his brothers, and dodging advancing sweetbutts and croweaters, Jax finally made his way to one of the oil drums currently filled with ice and beers. It just so happened to be conveniently located by the picnic table. After grabbing a cold one, Jax hopped onto the space vacated by Donna next to Jolene on the table.

"Hey, darlin'," Jax greeted, looking straight ahead and just loud enough for her ears. Jolene smiled to herself, the nail of her index finger picking at the tab of her yet-to-be-opened can of Coke.

Casually throwing a look over her right shoulder and finding no one within earshot who wasn't already involved in a conversation of their own, Jolene turned her head slightly towards Jax as she ran her hand through her hair and smiled. "I missed you, baby," She said softly.

Jax closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling the sweet, fresh scent of her hair that was wafting to his nostrils as she nervously toyed with it. He licked his lips as he brought his beer up to his mouth as a shield. "Not as much as I missed you." She had no clue how true a statement that actually was, Jax thought as he guzzled half his beer. He had passed on Antoine's offer to supply him with any pussy he wanted from his stable for the night, all in favor of jerking himself off while Jolene talked dirty to him over the phone last night. Seeing her in her tight black leggings and even tighter sweater with her silky hair cascading in waves over her shoulders, Jax knew he had made the right choice.

"How was Nevada?" Jolene asked casually, making conversation as she would with any other Club member. Allowing himself to look her in the face for the first time since sitting down next to her, Jax smiled.

"It was a'ight," He drawled, his eyes drinking in as much of her as possible. "No place like home, though."

"Glad to hear it," Jolene smiled back. Feeling herself flush under his intense scrutiny, she broke eye contact and looked straight ahead. "What?"

Jax chuckled, finally looking away himself. "You're looking really good, darlin'."

Oh, God, Jolene moaned inwardly. Sitting so close to each other, his voice was almost like a caress. She could feel the heat emanating off of him. Jolene wanted to hold his face in her hands and kiss his beautiful mouth until they were both breathless. She couldn't do that. So she teased him instead.

"I'm not wearing any underwear," She said nonchalantly, popping the tab on her soda can.

Jax rubbed his forehead, his eyes shut tight. "What am I supposed to do with that intel, Jolene?"

"Anything you want," Jolene took a sip of her drink, the picture of innocence to anyone who happened to look their way.

"Anything I want?" Jax laughed. "I don't think anyone here would be prepared for what they'd witness right now if I took you up on that offer."

Jolene laughed, the sound music to Jax's ears. "I'm teasing." She said and Jax downed the rest of his beer and shook his head. She was gonna end up teasing him into a drunken coma. Sliding her left knee onto the table, Jolene turned to face him. "I'm sorry. We'll have our own welcome home party soon, I promise. Hopefully, before you go on your next run."

"There are no more runs for me until I talk to Clay first." He dropped on her, seemingly out of nowhere.

"What?" Jolene tried to remain casual.

Jax put his empty beer bottle on the table between them. Almost as if waiting for the signal, a croweater started towards him to offer him another beer, but Jax stopped her with a shake of his head as he waved her away. "This was my last run until I tell Clay about us." He turned his head slightly towards Jolene.

"Jax, why are you bringing this up now?"

"Because I've been a miserable and frustrated prick these last four days without you," Jax started, looking her directly in the eyes. "And because I'm so incredibly hot for you right now, it's pathetic."

Jolene knew she needed to break eye contact before he got carried away and pulled her into his arms. She could see it in his eyes. He was seriously considering doing just that. "That's your penis talking." She almost whispered as she looked down to her hands holding the soda can in her lap.

Jax shook his head. "Naw, darlin', my penis is screaming right about now." Unable to stop herself, Jolene laughed again. "I'm glad my pain amuses you." Jax couldn't help but smile at her. Although he knew it was nervous laughter, Jax loved seeing her so uninhibited around him in front of others. This was how it should be with them all the time, with him being able to drape his arm possessively over her shoulder as he squeezed her to his side. "I'm dead serious though."

Jolene sobered up. "I know."

Jax nodded his head. "Good cuz I just told Clay that I need to speak with him tomorrow, first thing."

"Jax, no." Jolene nearly begged, her eyes still on her hands.

"Why not, darlin'?" He asked, not caring if he was overheard. "I'm done hiding and I'm done lying."

"How are we lying to anyone?" Jolene almost whispered.

"Jo, you're smarter than that. Don't try to rationalize it away by thinking that if you haven't had to deny it then it's not lying. As a matter of fact, it's worse. It's a betrayal of the trust that things are a certain way when they're not. This is all on me, darlin' and I'm ready to deal with the consequences. Have been for a while now."

Jolene was dangerously close to tears.

"It's the perfect time, too." He continued, trying to ease her fear. "The Club's raking it in hand over fist. I don't think I've ever seen Clay this happy or optimistic. Ever."

Jolene put her drink down and looked like she was about to bolt from the table. "Do I make you happy?" Jax asked her quietly.

"Of course you do," Jolene shot him a fiery look.

"It's no secret how important your happiness is to Clay, Jo. I'm not worried." Jax said and he meant it. He knew he wasn't gonna get out of this unscathed. He wasn't about to tell her that, but he expected it. Hell, he wanted it. He didn't deserve to walk away without a couple of broken ribs and a busted face. It was a small price to pay if, when it was all said and done, he could call Jolene his old lady.

"I understand where you're coming from, Jax. I really do, but hold off on talking to my dad, please." She started, but Jax was shaking his head. "I have my final meeting with my P.O. this Saturday. Please just wait until all that shit's over for me, okay?"

Jax's jaw was clenched as he searched her face. Yeah, maybe he was being a selfish prick. He knew how stressed out she was about her last meeting with her probation officer. Giving in, Jax nodded. "Okay, but putting it off doesn't go past Saturday." He replied and Jolene quickly nodded her head in agreement. "And I'm taking you to your meeting in Lodi. I want to be there with you when all this shit finally comes to an end."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Jolene beamed at him.

Quirking an eyebrow, Jax leered at her. "Now, what was this I was hearing about a private homecoming?"

"Well," Jolene started but the smile quickly faded from her face as the hovering croweater finally mustered enough courage to approach Jax, deciding that Princess over there had enjoyed enough face time with her stepbrother.

"Anything I can get for you, sweetheart?" Gigi, one of Jax's regulars, cooed as she ran her hand up his arm.

Jolene rolled her eyes as she jumped off the picnic table. That was her cue to get the fuck out of Dodge. "Where you going?" Jax asked, ignoring Gigi.

"Home. I have school in the morning." Jolene replied, trying her best to sound casual and not like she wanted to rip the gaudy red hair extensions out of the slut's head. "Welcome home, Jax. I'll give you a call tomorrow, if I'm not busy."

Jax watched her strut proudly across the lot to her car that was parked right outside T-M's offices. "I can get you anything you want," Gigi offered again, relieved that she was able to get to Jax first. Really? Jax thought bitterly. Can you bring me my girl back?

"No you can't," Jax replied curtly, hopping off the table. "Now leave me alone."

* * *

Considering it was the day after a mid-week party at the Clubhouse following a long run, Jax had been amazingly present and focused during Church early the next morning. That was probably more than could be said about the majority of his brothers, including Clay. That's what happens when you go to bed early, alone, and sober. Well, at least somewhat sober.

After Jolene had left last night, even though everyone had been engrossed in having their own good time, there had been no discrete way for Jax to leave the party and follow her home. So, once she was gone, Jax had grabbed himself a six-pack of beer and retreated to his dorm. He didn't have to go to bed alone, and pussy had always been just pussy, but after Jolene, he was starting to question that way of thinking. Jax had come to the conclusion, even before last night, that he was no longer willing to settle for anything less.

Wired and on edge, Jax stepped outside and lit a cigarette, deciding that maybe working a couple of hours in the garage would probably help in exhausting some of the pent up energy that had kept him from getting a good night's sleep. What he really needed, aside from a good, old-fashioned fucking, was a good, old-fashioned bar fight. Too bad bars in Charming didn't open until noon.

Walking towards the garage with Opie and Chibs, Jax felt his pre-pay vibrating in the pocket of his jeans. Pulling out the phone, he smiled to himself as he recognized the number. Falling a step or two behind the others, he flipped it open.

"Hey, darlin'," He drawled, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"That was pretty bold," Jolene giggled as she was calling from the house phone instead of her pre-pay. "How sure were you that it was me and not Gemma?"

"One hundred percent," Jax smiled. "My phone vibrates a little different when it's you. Makes my dick stand at attention."

"You are so full of shit, you perv!" Jolene laughed.

"I miss you, too, darling.'" Jax replied. "I wasn't sure I'd be hearing from you today, after you stormed off last night."

Jolene gasped. "I didn't storm off! I sashayed my ass to my car, making sure you realized what you were gonna miss out on in favor of that ho-bag hanging off you."

"I know exactly what I missed out on," Jax drawled. "And you weren't teasing when you said you weren't wearing underwear, either. I could tell."

"Yeah, well," Jolene started. "I had come prepared for a quickie, but that plan turned to shit."

And Jax would have found a way to accommodate her had they not been interrupted. "I hope you're busy planning my homecoming party 'cause I need to see you, Jolene." Two, three days at most had always been the cut-off before he was climbing the walls again. He was going on five days. Yeah, he needed to see her like right now.

"How about right now?" Jolene offered.

Jax raised an eyebrow. Wasn't she supposed to be in school? Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he didn't ask. "At the streams?" He questioned. It was early and a heavy chill still hung in the air. He didn't want her getting sick.

"Are you kidding? It's like 40 degrees outside," Jolene replied. "I mean my room at the house. I think a big and comfy fluffy bed with clean sheets would be the perfect location for a party, don't you?"

"I love that you want to live dangerously, darlin'," Jax laughed. "But what about Neeta? Doesn't she usually come in mornings?"

"If you were hoping for a threesome," Jolene started teasingly. "I'm sorry to disappoint but Gemma's taking Neeta to Stockton for some shopping and then her appointment with her parole officer. The house'll be sitting empty for most of the day and baby, we cannot waste this opportunity. I've missed you so much." She purred in his ear.

Shit, she was preaching to the choir. "Gimme 15 minutes," Jax said, changing directions and heading towards his bike.

"And not a minute longer. Get your ass over here or the party starts without you." Jolene threatened before hanging up.

I've created a monster, Jax smiled to himself as he shoved the pre-pay back into his pocket.

* * *

The sunlight streaming through the window had a hazy quality to it which struck Jolene as odd. Almost like during that time of day when the sun hung low in the sky before coloring the horizon in hues of orange and purple until it finally set. Jolene was about to reach for her cell phone to check the time, but noticing her distraction, Jax let go of her hips and bent towards her to nip at her kiss-swollen lips.

"Am I losing you, darlin'?" He breathed against her mouth as he squeezed her tit, grazing his thumb over one of her ever-pert nipples.

Jolene smiled, forgetting what she was about to do as she coiled her arms around his neck. "Never, baby," She purred, balling her hands in his tousled hair. Soon, Jax had her panting and moaning again, almost out of breath, as she bucked her hips, feverishly trying to keep up with him as he pounded into her. Dipping his head to nuzzle her neck, Jax rolled onto his back, bringing Jolene with him. Sitting up, she straddled him, grinding her hips onto his dick.

"Oh shit, Jax!" She gasped as his length filled her to capacity. With her hands on his chest, Jax guided her hips and bounced her up and down.

Jax groaned as Jolene rode him without mercy. "Fuck!" He cursed as she alternated bouncing and grinding. Letting go of her hips, Jax lifted himself up, wrapping his arms around her waist, and latched onto the taut nipple of one of her perfectly round and bouncing tits.

Feeling the warmth build up in her core, Jolene held onto his shoulders and prepared herself for the rumbling release that would soon overtake her, shaking her until she screamed. Throwing her head back, she rode the wave of her release as she felt Jax tense up beneath her touch. The walls of her pussy contracting around his dick as she came, coupled with the pull of her bouncing drove Jax to the edge and over. Fisting his hands into her thick black hair, he pushed himself deeper and deeper into Jolene with each spasm that shook his body.

Sweaty and exhausted, Jolene collapsed against Jax as he fell back onto the mattress. Gently grabbing her face with one hand, while the other cradled her to him, Jax brought her lips to his and kissed her softly but thoroughly.

"Shit, darlin, you been practicing without me?" He teased.

"Why?" She smiled. "You noticed a few of my new porn star moves?"

Jax narrowed his eyes at her, forcing Jolene to giggle. "Luann really loves over-sharing the details of her day-to-day." She explained.

Jax caressed her back as Jolene cuddled against him, kissing his neck. If her intention was to get him hard again, she was well on her way and he hadn't even pulled out yet. Lifting her face level to his, she caressed his hair and his stubbly cheeks while searching his face with her wide green eyes.

"What is it, darlin'?" Jax asked, his hand cupping her face. She looked like she was on the verge of saying something. Jolene shook her head slightly and dropped a kiss on his lips. Jax smiled at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I love you, too." He said quietly, stunning himself as well as Jolene. After Tara, he thought he'd go the rest of life without using those words, in that order, ever again.

Jolene smiled, her eyes shiny. "What makes you think that's what I was thinking?" She teased, her heart about to burst with joy.

"Darlin', you are the first thing on my mind when I wake up in the morning. That goofy look on your face is one I'm familiar with cuz I see it in the mirror every day." He nearly whispered, the warmth in the pit of his stomach taking him by surprise, as Jolene discretely tried to thumb away a tear that escaped the corner of her eye.

"I was afraid to say it," Jolene started, her voice catching. "Afraid you'd think it was too soon."

"Jo," Jax started seriously. "You haven't said it yet." He kidded.

Jolene beamed down at Jax. "I love you, Jax Teller."

"Damn," He said, rolling over and pinning Jolene beneath him against the downy softness of her bed. "I really like the sound of that."

Jolene giggled, realizing how insatiable he was as Jax reached out, in search for another condom. Stopping, Jax looked down at Jolene with wide eyes. "Did you hear that?" He asked just as they both heard Neeta's voice in the foyer downstairs.

"Oh shit!" Jolene scrambled for her cell phone on her night stand and saw that it was past three o'clock. Holy hell, Neeta was right on time. Where did the last 5 hours go? "Maybe Gemma went straight to the garage," She whispered, hopeful, until they heard Gemma's distinct raucous laughter as she slammed the front door.

"Fuck!" Jax jumped out of bed and started throwing on his clothes. If he was forced to confront his mother about this now, he wasn't doing it with his pants around his ankles.

Jax knew this day was coming. The closer he and Jolene got, the bolder they had become. Lately, they had been taking chances and finding opportunities to make-out in the Clubhouse, even managing to have sex in the bathroom of T-M's offices once. Jax was ready for this. Jolene, on the other hand, looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Jolene!" Gemma called out from the bottom of the stairs. "Get down here. I know you're home. You too, Jax."

Jolene fell rather than rolled out of bed and searched for something to throw on. "Oh my God, Jax, I'm so sorry." She said. Failing to find the clothes she had thought she had set out in the morning, gave up and wrapped a bathrobe around herself. "I lost track of time."

"Don't apologize, darlin'," Jax grabbed her hands and pulled her towards him. "This is a good thing." He kissed her firmly on the lips.

"I knew it," Gemma said as soon as she saw Jax coming down the stairs, followed at a safe distance by Jolene, who had managed to find cargo pants and a fitted t-shirt to throw on.

"Ma, I can explain," Jax started but Gemma shushed him by waving him away.

"What is there to explain? I already know all about the birds and bees." Gemma started sarcastically. "How long?" She directed at Jolene, knowing the girl would be too intimidated to try and act coy like she didn't know what the fuck Gemma was talking about, like Jax would.

"Almost two months," Jolene replied, as Jax took her hand and pulled her down to his side.

"Holy shit, Jackson!" Gemma thundered. Realizing that she shouldn't be surprised at all, Gemma stopped and rubbed her temple. "Dipshit, you couldn't wait 'til she turned 18 before staking your claim to the SAMCRO princess by punching her V-card?" She asked as Jax eyed his mother suspiciously. Yeah, she'd come across the bloody evidence in his dorm. What? Did he think laundry just washed itself? Gemma could probably pinpoint the exact day her son had lost his goddamned mind.

"A'ight, so you know." Jax started.

"Of course I know," Gemma replied. "I'm not an idiot. I come home and find your bike parked outside during the middle of the day right after I get a call from Jolene's school asking why she missed a class trip today. It's almost like you wanted to get caught. What if the school had called Clay instead of me? What if it had been Clay coming home early and not me?"

"Then I'd be having this conversation with him." Jax responded calmly.

"That would be a difficult conversation to have with your dick stuffed down your throat." Gemma said. "Did we not discuss how stupid it would be for you to get involved with Jolene right now?"

"Yeah, we did and when I spoke to you about it, I wasn't asking for permission, so just back off." Jax was getting heated.

"Alright," Gemma nodded, backing away a bit, a slight smile tugging at her mouth. She was happy to see the spark in his eyes again that had all but died when Tara had left Charming two years ago. Jax never got infatuated with pussy. That spark meant something.

"So what happens now?" Jolene asked.

"That depends on your level of commitment." Gemma poked Jax on the chest. "How serious is this, Jax?"

"It's serious enough."

"What the fuck does that mean? Just stop it with the bullshit, Jax because this right here," Gemma gestured between Jax and Jolene. "Could get you killed."

"I'm in love with her." Jax replied intensely, his eyes almost daring his mother to challenge him.

Gemma was stunned. That's not what she was expecting to hear. "Okay." She backed down.

Jax shook his head. "That's it? Okay?"

Gemma nodded. To say that Jax loved women was an understatement, but he did not fall in love easily. "It's not like I didn't see this coming, Jax. Jolene's loved you since she was in middle school, so trying to stop this now would be like to trying to stop a freight train." She replied. "And keeping this from Clay is no longer an option. He's starting to suspect Jolene's been seeing someone. You have to tell him and soon."

Not unlike several times this morning, Jolene felt her legs turn into wet noodles, only this time it was dread causing her legs to nearly buckle and not life-altering orgasms. Jolene wasn't stupid. She knew it was true that something like this could get Jax killed, or at the very least, stripped of his patches. But Jolene knew how to handle her father. He had wanted to kill Jax after Jolene got arrested in Lodi, but she had managed to put out that fire. Jax, and now Gemma, were taking control of this situation out of her hands when in fact she was the only one that might be able to keep it from turning violent.  
 **  
**"Jolene," Gemma started, seeing the genuine fear in her eyes. "Better he find out from Jax then through gossip. Jax and Clay are Club Brothers. Not much will break that bond. We just gotta keep our fingers crossed that taking up with his teenage daughter doesn't fall into the one category that can get Jax killed."

Jax quirked an eyebrow at his mother, about to say how unlikely that truly was when he felt Jolene shiver against his side. "You okay, darlin'?" He cupped her face lovingly in his hands, afraid she was going to start crying and forced her to look him in the eye. Gemma felt her heart tighten at the sight of the concern, love, and tenderness she could see written all over her son's face as he looked at Jolene. He was so screwed.

Jolene swallowed hard. She hated the mere thought of what she was going to say. "Shit, Jax. Maybe we should take a step back for a minute."

Jax's jaw tightened as he waited for her to continue but Gemma knew what was coming next. Even at 17, she was by far the more level-headed and clearer-thinker between the two. Sometimes, men did think with the wrong head.

"Think about it, baby. The Club is your life and right now is not the time to risk it all because of me." Jolene started. "I love my dad, but sometimes he can be a reactive nut job. Family or not, Club brother or not, I wouldn't put it past him to take this shit to a whole other level. I don't want what we have used as some political tool against you. It's stupid and reckless, and so not worth it for you right now."

Gemma covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile. Shit, Jolene was making her proud. So young and already thinking like an old lady and looking out for her son.

Jax smiled bitterly. "Where are you going with this, darlin'?" He asked and Jolene could see the storm brewing in his eyes. She also saw recognition of where she was leading him.

"Don't act like you don't know, Jackson." Gemma could barely contain herself. "And it's not just Clay you should worry about. You're gambling big time with issues of loyalty and trust that you may never recover from. You have a Clubhouse full of brothers who will probably wanna take turns beating the shit out of you, and for the sake of your future in the Club, you need to keep them on your side." She explained.

Jax was glaring at his mother. "Gemma, please," Jolene started. "Can we have a moment?" She pleaded with her eyes. Gemma nodded and reluctantly backed away and stepped into the living room.

"Gemma's right. I hate that she's right, but you know she is." Jolene stated but Jax was shaking his head.

"If you don't want to take this to Clay right now, fine. We've managed to contain this between us, darlin'." He declared.

"Just barely," Jolene stated. "If Gemma caught on what makes you think others haven't?"

"Cuz she's a fuckin' ninja when it comes to shit like that, Jo." Jax replied.

"We wouldn't be ending it, Jax. Just putting it on hold for a few months." Jolene suggested.

"No." Jax replied with finality. "As far as we have come, darlin', there's no going back for me. I wouldn't be able to stand being in the same room with you knowing that you wouldn't let me touch you or kiss you when we're alone. I can continue hiding or I can talk to Clay man-to-man but don't ask me to end this even if it is just short term."

Jolene was looking at Jax with wide green eyes. "I couldn't live with myself if I were the reason something happened to you," She started but Jax pulled her into his arms, his kiss so hard and demanding that Jolene heard herself whimper trying to keep up.

Jax pulled away, his hands tenderly holding her face then burying themselves in her thick mane. "Jolene, I love you so damn much that I'd do anything you asked me to," He started emphatically. "So please, don't ask." Stunned by the intensity of his declaration of love and by the potential for heartbreak she could see in his eyes, all she could bring herself to do was nod. He kissed her again, softer this time but no less intense.

Gemma cleared her throat as she leaned against the wall at the entrance into her living room. Pulling away once more, Jax playfully nipped at Jolene's nose causing her to finally allow herself to smile. The man of her girlish dreams just told her he loved her, again. She had to let herself believe that her heart and his future in the Club were safe in his hands.

"I still think you should tell Clay." Gemma started. "It needs to come out."

"I agree, and it will." Jax responded and Jolene was starting to feel sick to her stomach again.

"Where does Clay think you're off to today?" Gemma asked.

Oh God, Jolene moaned inwardly. Please tell me she doesn't mean telling her father like right now.

"He doesn't," Jax replied, reluctantly turning to face his mother. Jolene had gone from her normal golden skin tone to a sickly green to pale in a matter of seconds. "He was on his way to Oakland with Tig when I left T-M this morning."

"This morning?" Gemma was incredulous. "Jesus Christ, how long have you two been locked up in that room?"

"Not long enough. We weren't done yet," Jax replied, teasing Jolene out of her near-panic state, only to be rewarded with her elbow connecting with his ribs. "What, darlin'?" He couldn't help but smile as he saw her neck break out in blotches, her face doing a slow burn. At least she no longer looked on the verge of passing out.

"Unlike you, she has the good sense to feel at least a little shame," Gemma stated.

"We're not doing anything wrong," Jax defended, good-naturedly.

"Really?" Gemma sneered.

Jax flashed his mother with one of his patented irresistibly sweet smiles. "Well, maybe it's just a little wrong. I don't know how to break it to you, Ma but she's a bad influence on me." He laughed, catching Jolene's arm before her elbow connected with his ribs again. Pulling her into his arms, Jax dropped a kiss on the freckled bridge of Jolene's nose.

All kidding aside, Gemma was sure he wasn't far from the truth. "Just don't knock her up, Jax," She warned.

Suddenly serious, Jax turned to his mother, shaking his head. "I got it covered, a'ight?"

"Good. Keep it that way," Gemma said.

* * *

Not for the first time this week, Clay had tried to forge some time to spend with his daughter, preferably before she ran out of the house in the mornings for school and had been unsuccessful. Today, the Saturday of her final meeting with her probation officer, Clay had risen early only to discover that Jolene was already up, with one foot out the door. Jax was taking her to Lodi for her meeting, but first they were hitting Nicky's Diner for breakfast. Clay had considered joining them by inviting himself, but what he wanted was one-on-one time with his kid. Happy that he wouldn't have to worry about Jolene driving herself to Lodi, Clay promised himself to make the time to talk to her once she returned from her meeting. Maybe even make plans for dinner before catching the pay-per-view fight on cable later tonight like they used to before Seattle. Since he was already up, Clay decided to head into town and finally have that meeting with Unser he'd been putting off because of other pressing matters.

Outside of the MC, Clay had many associates and acquaintances. The line between those he did business with and those he considered friends very rarely blurred, with the exception of a few. Michael McKeavey was one and Chief Wayne Unser was another. Unser was a cop, but he was also a business associate. Not only did the Club keep Chief Unser's palm greased for a little local law enforcement cooperation, but he was also the Chief Executive Officer of Unser Trucking. Unser Trucking and SAMCRO had a business relationship that went back at least 20 years. Wayne was also an old family friend who had known Gemma since before she was a Teller or a Morrow, and definitely before she was known as the Queen of Charming. Her youngest son Tommy had been christened with the middle name Wayne in honor of the bond Gemma and Unser shared. The Club had Gemma to thank for what it was today. It had been her idea to settle in Charming, the small town she had been born in and had run away from at 16. Her old friendship with Unser had allowed a partnership between the law and the outlaws to flourish as the MC managed to accomplish what Charming P.D. had been unable to do. Under JT's leadership, SAMCRO had forced the drug trade out of Charming, taking prostitution and other quality of life crimes out along with it. Chief Unser dared to claim that Charming was the safest, most family-friendly small town in NorCal, and he had the MC to thank for that. But as the saying goes, one hand washes the other, and Unser did his part to make sure that SAMCRO was able to operate with very little outside interference. It was, in his mind, a small price to pay for the peace of mind that came with knowing that you could go to bed at night and leave your front door unlocked.

As it turned out, the business part of his meeting with Unser took less than five minutes. It looked like SAMCRO wasn't the only Charming-based enterprise on the upswing. Unser Trucking was seeing good times as well and Wayne had a list of upcoming long hauls that he would need the Club's assistance on. Clay, feeling charitable as well as always on the lookout for ways to keep good friends such as the Chief in his pocket, promised Unser that they'd handle every fifth protection run free of charge.

"Gemma wanted me to remind you that it's been a while since you and Della have come over for Sunday dinner." Clay started as he and the Chief stepped outside the station house. Leaning against the railing at the top of the stairs, Clay stopped to light his cigar.

"Della's out of town this weekend with her sister, but if you all don't mind me showing up without my better half, I'd love to join you tomorrow." Unser replied.

"Sounds like a plan, Chief. Dinner's served between 5 and 6, so if you're smart, you'll get your ass there no later than 4:30." Clay suggested. The thundering roar of a familiar-sounding Harley tearing up the block stopped Clay as he was about to go down the stairs towards his bike.

"Isn't that your kid?" Unser asked, indicating the young woman sitting on the back of Jax Teller's bike currently stopped at the red light at the intersection up the block. Unser had seen Jolene only in passing since her return from Seattle, but even he was aware of the transformation she had undergone while living with her mother. As unrecognizable as she was, there was no mistaking that long, shiny mane of wavy black hair that fell down her back almost to the waist of her low-riding jeans.

"Yeah," Clay replied. She's on her way to Lodi. Today's the day she's officially off probation." He said, proud that she had suffered the consequences of her actions like a true Morrow and, unlike her old man, had managed to complete her sentence without further time tacked on for hotheadedness.

In spite of all the years he's been associated with the MC, Unser felt he would never really understand how things worked within the walls of the Clubhouse. For example, and maybe he was wrong about this, but didn't it usually mean something when a biker tooled around town with a hot girl riding "bitch" on the back of his bike? He was about to ask Clay when both their jaws hit the ground as they watched Clay's 17 year old daughter rub her stepbrother's thigh in a delicate area as he leaned back and nearly sucked the tongue out of her head. Yeah, Unser was sure that riding bitch meant that it wasn't just Jax Teller's bike that Jolene Morrow was riding.

And judging by the look on Clay's face as he watched the light turn green and Jax tear down the street towards the I-22, Jolene's father had just come to the same conclusion.


	7. Papa Don't Preach

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

The Saturday before Jax's 4-day run to Reno had been Jolene's final day with Habitat for Humanity. She was a free woman the moment she had put her hammer down and walked off the construction site. Relieved that she had managed to complete her court-mandated community service without using said hammer to pummel her bitchy supervisor, Jolene ran across the street and jumped into Jax's waiting arms. Her probation would officially end as soon as she met with her P.O. for the last time, followed by a hearing before a family court judge where, hopefully, McAllister made the recommendation that the incident be expunged from her record on her 18th birthday.

Now, sitting in her probation officer's dingy, oatmeal-colored office, typical of most government buildings, Jolene was thinking that "hopefully" might have been expecting too much.

"I spoke to your mother again this week," The short and stocky Deb McAllister, with the butchy haircut, started and stopped as Jolene sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. "She's still really upset that you left Seattle, you know."

"Yeah, I know. You keep telling me." Jolene replied sarcastically. "I don't buy it. All she's missing is the fat child support check she was getting from my dad."

Jolene pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Jax loved her hair down but not ten minutes with McAllister and Jolene was already getting hot. She was a slow burn, but her temper was fiery. There were two issues Jolene did not want to talk about, especially with this junior college psych wanna-be graduate. One was her no-good, piece-of-shit mother. The other was her family in Charming. McAllister had wasted no time in tackling the Valentina subject the moment Jolene had sat her ass down and if McAllister was true to form, that would just segue into her next favorite topic: bashing her dad and his nearly-lifelong affiliation to the MC.

"I see from the notes in your file that your father has refused yet again to undergo supervised family counseling." McAllister said, looking up from the file and never failing to disappoint.

Jolene was exasperated. "Not that I really care, but can you please explain to me once again why that would even be necessary? I mean, I spent 6 months living with a known prostitute and her 'boyfriend', which in Valentina-speak, by the way, translates into 'pimp', yet no one ever pushed her into counseling."

"I really don't have a say in what CPS in Washington deems as necessary with regards to your mother," McAllister started as Jolene shook her head in disgust. She knew that was bullshit.

"You certainly had more of a say than my dad did," Jolene protested. "And for your information, he hasn't refused anything. I have. My father and I, we don't need family counseling."

"Really?" McAllister asked sarcastically. "He's a convicted felon who has done time on gun charges, aggravated assault, battery, and disorderly conduct, and that's just naming a few. Aside from the weapons charge, does any of that sound familiar? Do you really want to follow dear old dad down the same path?"

Jolene shrugged her shoulders. "It would certainly beat the hell out of following in my mom's, don't you think?" She replied. "Besides, Clay Morrow hasn't been charged with a crime in years."

McAllister's smiled smugly. "Okay, then. Let's move on to the motley crew in Charming you call a family."

"You know what? Let's not," Jolene stated, feeling her tongue go numb. Just one of the warning signs she was going to lose her shit.

"Jackson Teller," McAllister ignored Jolene and continued. "Your stepbrother. Does he still live at home?"

"No." Jolene replied tersely. Don't let this bitch go there, or she'd just wasted over a year of her life doing community service.

"Is that him waiting for you outside?" The P.O. asked. Jolene could barely control her leg from bouncing on the ball of her booted foot. "He's a good looking young man. Anything you'd like to share?"

"He's not mine to share, but hey, go for it." Jolene responded, intentionally misinterpreting McAllister's queries. "I have to warn ya, though. I don't think you're his type."

McAllister gave her a tight smile before going back to the file. "Gemma Teller-Morrow. Robert Munson. Piermont Winston and his son Harry. Not exactly your typical All-American family."

"Based on whose handbook?" Jolene asked. "You know, most people would consider my dad and Piney All-American heroes being that both served their country in Vietnam. Gemma's never done shit to anyone except be more of a mother to me than my own, and the same goes for Bobby. The only bond we share is through his brotherhood with my dad because of the MC, yet Bobby's never failed to treat me like his own kid, taking care of me when I've been sick, making sure I ate and did my homework. And Jax and Opie I love like brothers." Eh, that last part was a little bit of a white lie. She's never loved Jax like a brother. She's only ever loved Jax. Period.

Ignoring Jolene's little defensive tirade, McAllister continued, "How's school coming along?"

Somewhat relieved, and surprisingly a little ticked off, that her dumb ass P.O. saw it fit to change the subject without acknowledging her statement, Jolene relaxed once again in her chair. "In spite of falling behind while living in Seattle, I'm on track for graduation and I've registered for summer classes at CSU-Stan starting mid-July."

Scribbling some final notes on a form, McAllister closed the file, and dropped her pen on the desk. "I'll work on my recommendation to family court this week and after that's filed, we should hear back from them with a date for the hearing."

Jolene shook her head. "You're not gonna clue me in on what's going into your report?" She asked.

"I haven't decided yet," McAllister replied, that smug grin plastered on her face again.

"Will I get to see it before it goes to the judge?" Jolene asked.

"A copy will be sent to your Attorney of Record, Scott Rosen, the same day it's filed with the court."

Jolene chuckled bitterly. "You could've just said no."

"Jolene," McAllister started. "You've done exemplary work with Habitat. Work you should be proud of and you finished community service ahead of schedule."

"Yes I did. The judge made it quite clear that if I finished before turning 18 my chances of having my record cleared would be that much greater. I did everything I was told would help my case. I've stayed out of trouble, I'm doing well in school, and even plan on going to college." Jolene explained calmly. "Yet, I get this feeling that you're gonna fuck me over in the end."

McAllister shook her head. "I've been doing this for years. Sure, you've toed the line, done everything the court's mandated you to do, but I think you've done so for all the wrong reasons. In your current situation, surrounded by the people you call family, the potential for recidivism is extremely high."

Jolene was shocked. "So, none of my work this past year will be taken into consideration? You're gonna base your entire report to the court on what, a hunch that because of who my family is I have the 'potential' to fuck up again?" Jolene was incredulous. "And what do you mean by 'all the wrong reasons'? Where do you get off telling me what my reasons are for owning up to what I did? You think I lack remorse? Is that it?"

"You're lacking something." McAllister replied.

Jolene fought hard to bite her tongue, but couldn't control the angry glare she threw at McAllister that seemed to unnerve the seasoned and veteran probation officer. Her entire face was now numb. She needed to get out of there and fast. "Are we done?" Jolene asked, and without waiting for an answer, got up from her seat and left the office.

Yep, she's Clay Morrow's daughter, alright, McAllister thought as she watched the angry young woman, who had seemed on the losing end of controlling her temper, storm out of the room. Jolene's life experiences thus far had matured her beyond her years, but there was no doubt in McAllister's mind that she was a ticking time bomb just looking for a place to explode. In hindsight, instead of sending her to her mother's in Seattle, McAllister should have recommended foster care. With Jolene just a few weeks shy of her 18th birthday, the window for severing her ties to that white trash enclave known as Charming was quickly closing. She just hoped that instead of getting knocked up by her stepbrother, Jolene made good on her goal of going to college and got as far away as possible from the Sons of Anarchy.

* * *

The Lodi Juvenile Detention Center was an unlocked, 24-hour residential facility that housed 80 minors between the ages of 15 and 18. Had the judge in Jolene's case decided against probation, this would have been her home for the past 18 months. The shit-colored building also housed the probation department and at this moment, Jolene was somewhere on the first floor, the administrative level, meeting with her P.O.

Maybe parking right across the street from juvie hall wasn't such a good idea after all, Jax thought, as he gave his last cigarette to a young girl who swore she was eighteen. Jax knew better and was willing to bet that she wasn't a day over fifteen. Apparently, Jax was a magnet for underaged pussy as each of the half dozen or so female residents that had approached him so far for a smoke had also requested a ride on his bike. In spite of his current and ongoing relationship with Jolene, Jax did not have a taste for the unripened and underdeveloped. His girl was the exception that proved the rule and was in a class all by herself. When putting on his mean face did nothing to discourage the resident jail bait from approaching him, Jax decided that maybe it was time to take a walk down the block for some cigarettes.

He was crossing the street in that direction when the front door of the juvenile residence flew open and Jolene stomped out. She stopped long enough to pull off her scrunchy and shake out her wavy mane of black silk. She looked pissed and Jax couldn't help but smile cuz a pissed off Jolene was a hot-as-hell Jolene, just as long as he wasn't the target of her temper. Stepping onto the sidewalk, Jax approached her.

"You okay, darlin'?" He asked, his hands gently kneading her upper arms.

Jolene was visibly shaking she was so upset. "I don't know why I expected her to be different from any other outsider, Jax. I did everything I was told and she's still gonna throw me under the bus." She said, her voice thick with unshed tears.

With a furrowed brow, Jax pulled her into his arms. "What happened?" He hugged her close as Jolene clung to him, her face buried against his chest.

Pulling away, Jolene swiped a few errant tears from her cheeks. "She was being real coy about her report to the Judge, wouldn't really give me a straight answer, but I think she's going to recommend against expunging my record."

Shit, he had not wanted to rain on her parade, but he could've prepared her for the disappointment weeks ago. She was being punished for guilt by association. It wasn't the first time and Jax was sure it wouldn't be the last.

"I'm sorry, darlin'," Jax wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her towards him, kissing her forehead. "We'll talk to Rosen. Maybe there's something he can do."

Still angry and itching to throw a punch, Jolene caught two girls about her age, leaning against the building and giving Jax the eye.

"Is there a reason you're staring?" Jolene turned to face the blonde with the intricate sleeve tattoo and lip piercing.

Pushing herself away from the wall, the girl approached Jolene, her friend at her back. "Fuck yeah, your old man's hot. What you gonna do about it, Barbie?"

Jolene may look outmatched, but Jax knew better. He had seen her take down a 300 lb. redneck.

Jax grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back against him. "Let's go home and put that angry energy to better use." He said softly into her ear through her hair, causing Jolene's skin to goosebump all the way down to her toes.

"Barbie? I'll show you fuckin' Barbie." Jolene muttered over her shoulder as she let Jax lead her to his bike, the two girls egging her on. "Can this day get any more craptacular?" She complained.

Jax stopped and pulled her into his arms. "We'll deal with it, Jo." He gently nudged her chin up, forcing her to make eye contact. "It's Saturday. You've got nowhere you need to be and I have no place I'd rather be than right here, with you. How often does that happen?"

Jolene smiled, draping her arms over his shoulders and running her hands through his hair. "Maybe it's getting me in small doses that keeps you coming back, ever think of that?" Jolene teased.

Jax's grin was a borderline leer. "Nah, babe, that's not what keeps me coming back." He let his hands fall from her waist to the back pockets of her jeans, grabbing her ass and pulling her towards him.

"How fast can you get us back to Charming?" Jolene winked at Jax.

* * *

Over the past couple of months, Jax and Jolene had spent a considerable amount of their time together at the streams. It was a little piece of the world that they had managed to carve out for just the two of them. Even though Jolene spent the majority of their time there discovering just how flexible she really was, it was also the only place in Charming where they could let their guard down around each other. The things they shared at the streams went beyond the physical. Jolene thought she had known Jax before as they had always been good friends, but as his woman she quickly learned that she hadn't really known him at all. There were certain parts of himself that he shared with no one except her and Jolene could listen to him talk all day. Jax was smart and well-read and had big goals when it came to the Club and his position in it. He didn't expect special treatment because he was John Teller's boy. He knew that proving himself worthy of his patch was made more difficult because of his legacy. There would always be those that questioned whether he was given a pass all because his mother had managed to secure not one, but two Club Presidents as fathers for him. But he loved his Club and his brothers and had never envisioned another life for himself. That's why when Tara had used leaving Charming as a tool to break him free from what she called the SAMCRO noose around his neck, he let her go.

But today, after making good on his promise to help Jolene work off her angry energy, he wasn't talking. He wanted to listen. Jax had always known that life before Charming had been rough for her, but he never really knew to what extent. Unlike past conversations he had tried to initiate, today he wasn't going to let her distract him with sex as a way to avoid the obviously painful subject. Like her probation officer, Jax had realized today that Jolene had unresolved feelings of hurt and anger. He knew from experience that such feelings could push someone to take chances with their own freedom and safety, like nearly killing a drunk with a steel bat or running off to Oakland with two dirtbags intent on what amounted to gang rape. As he listened to her recount the horrors she had survived, Jax could finally understand where her unconscious need to self-destruct came from. As young as she had been, Jolene remembered it all, the beatings and the cigarette burns, going hungry almost every day, and being locked in the closet of her mother's bedroom for days while Valentina turned tricks.

Now as he held her in his arms against his chest, he was reluctant to end their time alone, in spite of the several missed calls on his pre-pay from Bobby. Now more than ever he wanted to be the man that not only got to love her, but that would protect her as well.

"Maybe you should answer that, babe." Jolene said as Jax's pre-pay rang for the fourth time since they arrived at the streams.

Right now, Jax really didn't give a shit who was calling. "Come here, darlin'," He pulled her towards him and kissed her softly. "You okay?" Jax thumbed away her trail of tears.

"I'm fine," She replied, truly exhausted from crying. "Could use a nap, though."

"I'll drop you off at home," Jax suggested, but Jolene was shaking her head.

"Take me back to the Clubhouse. I can crash in your dorm."

Jax gave her a half smile. "You sure that's a good idea?" He asked, already convinced he wouldn't be able to let her crawl into his bed all by herself.

"I'm sure it's a really bad idea, but I'm not ready to let you go today." Jolene smiled.

"I'm not ready to let you go ever, darlin'."

* * *

Jolene entered the Clubhouse and found her father sitting alone at one of the tables, in the cool dimness, chewing on a cigar.

"Hey, Dad." She smiled at Clay , a little unnerved by his unexpected presence, and was immediately slammed by his steel blue glare.

"Where's Jax?" He asked, his only greeting.

Jolene narrowed her eyes. "He was right behind me." She responded and as if on cue, Jax swaggered into the Clubhouse.

Clay abruptly got up from the table, almost knocking his chair over. "Chapel." He directed at Jax. "You," He pointed at Jolene. "Go home." Clay demanded before turning his back and entering the Club's meeting room.

Jolene felt the color drain from her face. "He knows." She turned to Jax, her eyes wide, and the fear clear.

Bringing Jolene's suddenly clammy hand to his lips, Jax pressed a kiss on her fingers. "Do as he says, darlin'. Go home." Jax gave her a reassuring half smile, but Jolene wasn't convinced. She touched his face gently and Jax knew by the look in her wide green eyes that she wasn't going anywhere. Stepping around her, Jax entered the Chapel and shut the door behind him.

* * *

Jolene was sitting at the bar, toying with the label on her bottle of water that had long since gone warm. She had been sitting in the same spot for almost two hours, unable to decide if the ear-splitting silence was a good thing or not. The noise coming from the Chapel during the first half hour or so had been loud and violent. It had quickly escalated from a screaming match to the occasional body or chair, Jolene couldn't decide which, being thrown around for emphasis. Now, as late afternoon was quickly approaching, the peaceful quietness was unnerving, especially since the Clubhouse was a virtual ghost town and that was never the case by this time of day on a Saturday. Jolene realized that everyone had probably been warned to stay away until Clay was done murdering Jax.

Suddenly, the Chapel door flew open. Clay was looking straight at her and did not seem surprised that she was still there. With his bulky frame obstructing her view into the room, her father wordlessly summoned her in.

Jolene jumped to her feet and on shaky legs strode towards the Chapel, the impassive look on her face never betraying the fact that she was on the verge of tossing her cookies. By the time she entered the room, Clay was already seated at his place at the head of the table, with Jax standing to Clay's left, gripping the back of Big Otto's VP chair. Jolene made quick eye contact with Jax and although she could still see the warmth in his intense blue gaze, his jaw was tight, his face bruised and in need of an ice pack.

"Jesus Christ, Dad." Jolene swatted at the tears that had suddenly fallen against her will on her cheeks.

"Sit," Clay commanded, pointing to Chibs' chair. Doing as she was told, Jolene sat down, her back rod straight and her hands folded in her lap. "He's lucky he's still standing because this shit right here," He said, wagging his finger between her and Jax, the knuckles on his hand knotted and bleeding. "Is not what I expected from either one of you." He was looking her in the eye and Jolene returned the look without faltering. "You plan on speaking up for yourself?" Clay asked when the silence between them became deafening.

"I don't know what to say, Dad." Jolene shrugged her shoulders. "I feel like you're expecting me to apologize and I can't do that."

"Apologize? Fuck an apology, Jolene." Clay was incredulous. "What I want to hear is that this ends right here, right now." He demanded, his index finger tapping the Redwood table for emphasis.

Biting her lip, Jolene's eyes darted to Jax for a split second, only to be startled back to Clay as he slammed his hands on the table. "You don't look at him. You look at me." He demanded.

With her elbows on the table, Jolene dropped her head into her hands and ran her fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying desperately to keep herself from bursting into tears. Jolene had always thought that she would rather die than disappoint her father and until this very moment, she would have. Now Jolene would rather die than tell him what he wanted to hear.

Looking up at Clay in the eye once again, Jolene shook her head. "Dad, I have no clue what was discussed and decided between the two of you and it's kinda unfair bringing me into this blind, but unless Jax has already made the choice to end this, I can't."

"And why the hell not?" Clay asked angrily with a furrowed brow. "Did he knock you up?"

Jolene rolled her eyes. "No!" She replied defensively.

"Then why not?" Clay asked. "As your father and his Club President, I'm telling you, end it."

"I don't know what you think 'it' is, Dad, but it's not as simple as you just telling me to end it." Jolene responded, her eyes flashing and her temper heating up.

"Then what is it?" Clay asked. Jax opened his mouth to respond but Clay's raised hand forced it back shut. "You've had your say and if you can't keep your peace, you get the fuck out. If I need your opinion, trust me, I will not hesitate to beat it out of you.

"Bring it then," Jax shook his head. "Because I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere." He nearly snarled, the double meaning of his statement was clear and his anger was barely under control.

Afraid they would start throwing chairs or punches again, Jolene reached across the table and grabbed her father's hand. "I love him, Dad." Jolene nearly whispered. "I can't end this because I love him."

"Love? This isn't about love, Jolene, especially on his part."

"You don't know that."

"The hell I don't. We share a patch, sweetheart and I see how he goes through pussy in this Clubhouse. You wanna take part in the endless parade of women he's used and forgotten even before his bed got cold?" Clay questioned.

"Is that what the real problem is, Dad? It's not that Jax is your stepson or that he's older than me. Your problem is that he's a womanizer?" Jolene asked, but before Clay could answer, she continued. "Don't be a hypocrite. This entire Club is guilty of the same shit. You all collect pussy like you're working towards a merit badge or something. It's part of the Life."

"Yeah, it is part of the Life, but this is not the life I had envisioned for you." Clay started. "You're inexperienced and way out of your league with Jax, Jolene. You think you can keep up with any of the random croweaters he's taken to his bed?" Clay asked.

"Keeping up hasn't been an issue and Jax has yet to complain about my inexperience." Jolene replied angrily.

Clay slammed his hand on the table. "Dammit, Jolene!" His face was crimson and Jolene was afraid maybe she'd pushed too far. "I won't tolerate having my 17 year old daughter treated like a sweetbutt, and I certainly won't have her acting like one either." He growled.

"Dad, do you honestly think that I would allow myself to be treated like a pass-around? I'm not my mother and I have more pride in myself than that. Besides, I learned how to shoot from the best there is." She grabbed his hand again and squeezed it gently. "No one is treating me like a whore and getting away with it. I'm Clay Morrow's daughter and the fiercest old lady to ever ride bitch on a Harley practically raised me. More importantly, she raised Jax." She reasoned.

Clay's steely glare had softened as he held her hand. Jolene dared to think that she might have even seen a hint of pride in the look he was giving her.

"I trust Jax and I also trust that my heart is safe in his hands. I love you, Dad and I want you to trust in that too and knowing you don't kills me. The last thing I want is the two most important men in my life at each other's throats and I couldn't stand it if I caused a rift between Club brothers." Feeling a catch in her throat, Jolene stopped.

Jax and Clay watched her as she quickly pulled back her emotions and regained her composure, refusing to shed a tear like she was defeated. It was a little frightening to see how very much like Gemma she actually was. This was no 17 year old negotiating for an extended curfew. This was a strong old lady fighting to keep the man she so obviously loved.

"I have too much respect for you to sit here and lie to your face," Jolene said, once again looking Clay in the eyes. "That's why I can't tell you what you want to hear and promise I'll end it with Jax because I'm not going to. I won't do it." She said, confidently, her tone leaving very little room for argument.

After a long, uncomfortable silence spent in anticipation of what Clay would say next, he finally spoke up.

"If you were anybody else's kid, I'd say this was a match made in MC heaven." He started softly and turned to look Jax straight in the eye. "But she's my kid, and I will not have her used and tossed aside." Like I did to her mother, Clay thought bitterly.

"You're beating a dead horse, Clay," Jax said, getting annoyed again. "We've been through this, over and over again."

"He loves me, too." Jolene interjected.

"He told you that?" Clay quirked an eyebrow at Jolene his skepticism quite clear.

"Yeah, he did. More than once."

"You know it doesn't count if he was about to bust a nut when he said it, right?" Clay asked sarcastically.

Jolene was shaking her head. "That's really classy, Dad."

"I wanna hear him say it." Clay declared and turned in his seat to face Jax. "I want to hear you say it in front of me, in front of my kid that you allegedly love so that we are all on the same page." He responded.

Jax glared at Clay. "What? You think I'm afraid to say it? That I can say it to her even though it's not true, but that I'd be afraid to say it in front of you?" He nearly snarled, leaning forward. "So there are no doubts lingering in your mind, Clay, I'm telling you that I love her. I love her not like a sister. Not like a friend. I love her like a man loves a woman and I'm not giving her up."

Jolene felt her heart pounding in her throat. Could she ever possibly love this man any more than she did at this moment?

Fighting the urge to pummel Jax again in the face, Clay watched his daughter and his stepson look at each other like no one else existed. Clay mulled over in his mind the intensity and passion with which Jax had defended his love for Jolene earlier, even after the beating he took and under the threat of more physical violence. Clay suddenly felt like he was intruding on something very private. He'd never seen the young man he'd practically raised wear his heart on his sleeve like he had today. Not even for Tara. How could he stand in the way of something like that? How could he keep his daughter from something so similar to what he had been so lucky to find, but only later in life with Gemma?

"I'm gonna ask you for three things, Jax." Clay started suddenly. "You have a problem with any of 'em, you walk away now. One, don't knock her up. She's almost done with school and she wants to go to college." Turning to Jolene, he asked. "You still want to go to college, right? Shit hasn't changed on me that much, has it?"

"No, I still want to go." Jolene replied.

"Good. You hear that, Jax? Don't keep her from doing what she wants." Clay said.

"I hear," Jax replied. "And I won't."

Clay nodded. "Two, whatever you've been doing to keep all this on the down low, keep doing it. That means keeping the PDA under control, for Chrissake. I could go the rest of my life without ever having to see what I witnessed today ever again. I understand you may want the whole fuckin' world to know she's your old lady, but nobody outside the Club needs to know until she's legal. In the Club, for now, keep it on a need-to-know basis. Immediate Club hierarchy only, if possible. I cannot make this any clearer, telling outsiders is not an option, including your BFF Donna." He directed at Jolene, pointing at her, and she nodded her compliance.

"I can do that." Jax said.

"Can you do number three and not break her heart?" Clay asked, and for Jolene's sake he managed to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

Jax locked eyes with Clay in a staring match, knowing the older man had little faith in his feelings for his daughter. Breaking eye contact with his stepfather, Jax turned his gaze towards Jolene and his eyes immediately softened.

"I'd never hurt her, Clay." Jax replied. "I'd stop breathing first." He almost whispered. Clay narrowed his eyes and looked from Jax to his daughter and back. Shit, she had the same damn goofy look in her eyes that he did.

Nobody, with the exception of Bobby, would ever really understand the depth of Clay's love for his daughter. She had walked this earth for six years before Clay even knew of her existence. Valentina, although one of the most beautiful women he has ever known, was as crazy as a shithouse rat. Imagine his surprise when CPS in Washington had contacted him 11 years ago to inform him that Valentina had given up custody of her daughter and that in order to put the child up for adoption, Clay had to waive his rights as her father.

He had been happy to oblige because he wasn't even sure the kid was his and his lifestyle didn't exactly accommodate raising a little girl with a lot of emotional baggage. If Tig was his muscle, then Bobby was for sure his conscience. His old friend, being a new father himself, wouldn't let him sign the papers without meeting the child first and even before the DNA test results came back, Clay knew that he would never be able to give her up. The connection was instantaneous and they belonged to each other from day one. Jolene may be the spitting image of her mother on the outside, but she had Clay Morrow imprinted in her DNA. She was resilient and a fighter, having managed to survive the fucked up start she got in life. In a matter of months, Jolene went from being sickly and suffering from malnutrition to healthy and happy under Bobby's mother hen-like doting. Clay had never seen that "problem child" that Valentina had claimed she could no longer handle on her own.

On the contrary, his little girl was special and only someone truly deserving was worth having his daughter. And in spite of the miles he's put on his dick, Clay couldn't honestly say that Jax was unworthy. Quite the opposite. As his stepfather, Clay had witnessed first hand the strong and capable man he had grown into. Clay also knew how important family was to Jax. Even though he was JT's legacy, Jax was very much his mother's son. As a brother, Clay knew Jax to be loyal and protective of what he valued most, his family and the Club. If he dug deep enough, in his heart Clay knew he would be the same way with his baby girl.

Without saying another word, Clay slapped his hands on the table and pushed himself out of his chair. Walking over to Jolene, he gently held onto her face with one hand and kissed the top of her head, like he'd done countless of times before throughout her life. Stepping out of the Chapel, he closed the door behind him, giving a grateful Jolene time to gather herself as she slumped into her chair. Rounding the table, Jax picked up her nearly-limp hand from her lap and pulled her into his arms.

"Careful what you wish for, darlin' 'cause I think you're stuck with me now." Jax smiled as Jolene perked up in his arms. Jolene felt like bouncing around the room like a giddy 5 year old. Instead, she jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Jax quickly found her mouth as he dropped her onto the Redwood table in order to hold her face in his hands as he kissed her deeply and thoroughly.

Breaking their kiss, Jolene pulled back and examined the bruises on his beautiful face. "Aw, baby, did you even fight back?" She nearly whispered, her thumb gently grazing the angry red welt on the side of his face, close to this mouth.

Jax smiled, shaking his head. "I love you, Jolene." He replied. "I don't know how it happened or even when but I can't, I don't want to live without you loving me back."

"You know I do, baby." Jolene smiled.

Jax pressed his forehead against hers. "Say it then 'cause I was ready to die for you today, darlin' and I need to hear you say it."

"I love you, Jackson. I always have. I always will."

* * *

Jax was sitting under one of the light fixtures hanging over the pool table in the middle of the main room as Jolene gingerly dabbed at his face with a washcloth soaked in warm water.

"Baby, I think you might need stitches." Jolene said, referring to the small gash above his left eye that had started bleeding again the moment she had cleaned away the dried blood.

"Nah, darlin'," Jax pulled her closer. "Just throw a band-aid on that shit. I'll be fine."

Jolene brushed his hair away from his face and dropped a kiss on his puckered lips. "Keep this on your eye." She wrapped an ice pack in the wash cloth and placed it on the gash. "I'll go get the first aid kit."

"I need some air," Jax grabbed his new pack of cigarettes with his free hand from the corner of the pool table and followed Jolene outside. Jumping onto the picnic table as he lit a smoke, Jax indulged in his favorite activity and watched Jolene walk across the lot towards T-M's offices, hips swaying and her ass calling his name. Opie, who was backing his bike into his spot, was watching Jax watch Jolene, causing him to chuckle to himself as Jax was almost on the verge of licking his chops.

Catching the pack of smokes Jax tossed him as he approached the table, Opie quirked an eyebrow as he caught sight of Jax's busted face. "Bro, what happened?" Opie asked as he lit a cigarette.

Jax shook his head. "It's a long story, Ope."

"Well, maybe if you'd stop looking at her like that, Clay wouldn't have to kick your ass." Opie kidded, unaware of just how close to the truth he actually was.

Tearing his eyes away from the door Jolene had just disappeared through, Jax smiled to himself. Turning to Opie, Jax feigned a wounded look on his face. "What are you talking about? Looking at her like what?"

"Like you know exactly what she looks like naked." Opie said, jumping onto the table next to his friend.

Jax smirked as he rubbed the hair on his chin and turned his head to avoid eye contact with Opie. Opie shook his head. "Oh shit, Jax! Tell me you didn't."

Jax shrugged his shoulders, flicking the butt of his cigarette across the yard. "Can't." He said simply.

Opie ran his hand through his hair, which was currently growing into an awkward stage after an ill-advised buzz cut. "Man, are you fuckin' crazy? Clay's gonna kill you if he finds out."

"Nah," Jax said confidently, bringing the ice pack back to his eye. "He wanted to, though. Almost got taken out by a chair aimed at my head."

"He knows?" Opie was incredulous. "That explains why your face looks like raw meat."

Jax nodded. "Yeah, and he's not happy about it, in case you couldn't tell," He kidded. "But have you ever known Clay to deny Jolene anything?"

"How long?" Opie asked.

"A couple of months," Jax replied, making a mental note. He knew how important birthdays and anniversaries were to Jolene and didn't want to miss marking another month together. Shit, it hadn't taken her long at all to have him completely whipped already.

"And you're just telling me now? And only cuz I was on the verge of calling you a perv for mindfucking your stepsister?" Opie couldn't help but feel a little hurt. They were a tight circle of friends and neither one of them had ever hinted that something was up.

"First off, bro, as of today, you're no longer allowed to refer to Jolene as my stepsister, a'ight?" Jax asked.

Opie laughed as he shook his head. Why was he at all surprised? He should have put money on it, but not even Opie thought Jax would have the balls to bang Clay's daughter.

"And I didn't tell you only because Jolene didn't want anyone knowing before Clay did."

"So, what the fuck does that mean? She's your old lady now?"

"Officially?" Jax questioned and Opie nodded. "No."

"And off the record?" Opie asked.

Jax jumped off the table and stood in front of his friend. "I love her."

"Holy shit!" Opie exclaimed.

Jax nodded, grabbing his pack of cigarettes from the table. He needed another smoke. "Yep, that about sums it up," He said while lighting up again.


	8. Who Knew?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

Jolene entered the office and was surprised to find Bobby, not Gemma, sitting at the desk tallying up invoices. It was a good thing Gemma hadn't been on the lot today when her father had confronted Jax. She loved Gemma dearly, but Jolene was sure the outcome would have been entirely different had Gemma involved herself. Jolene knew and understood that as her father, Clay felt duty-bound to defend her honor. As President of the Mother Charter, Clay felt disrespected by Jax and that debt could only be paid in blood. The amount of blood varied according to the offense, Jolene was sure, and she was grateful that the blood from a split lip and gashed eyebrow had been enough to satisfy Clay. For now, that is, as Jolene was sure that in her absence threats to Jax's well-being had been made and she knew it could have been much worse. According to Gemma, Clay had been well within his rights to beat Jax to death. She loved all the men in her life, but sometimes this macho bullshit was just too much. As eager as Clay had been to kick Jax's ass, Jax had been just as eager to get it over with. He deserved it, he had told her, and as was the way of the Reaper, Jolene knew Jax's conscience demanded it. Jolene just hoped that with the blood lust on both their parts now satisfied, they would all be able to move on. She knew she had just one more bullet to bite. Looking like he was none the wiser, Jolene knew she had to be the one to tell her Uncle Elvis.

"Hey, Bobby." Jolene greeted him happily. Taking off his glasses, Bobby turned in his chair and smiled.

"Hey, Kit. How'd it go with the P.O.?" He asked, as always, genuinely happy to see her.

That meeting earlier today felt like a lifetime ago. Might as well have been with how drastically her life had changed since this morning.

Jolene shrugged her shoulders. "Let me put it this way. I'm only surprised by how surprised I am by the fact that I'm getting screwed over."

"What happened?" Bobby asked, brow furrowed.

"After the day I've had, it's a story I can only repeat with the help of some tequila." Jolene replied.

"Kit, you know your old man would tan my hide if I gave you anything harder than something from the soda machine." Bobby said.

"I didn't say I'd get it from you," Jolene smiled sheepishly, thinking that since she hadn't seen Piney's bike on the lot, she'd probably have to sweet talk Jax into getting her a bottle with the promise of sloppy, drunk sex later.

As if reading her mind, Bobby asked, "Where's Jax?"

"At the Clubhouse." She answered, squatting to look in the bottom drawer of the file cabinet. "Have you seen the first aid kit?" Jolene asked and smiled to herself as she found a half bottle of Patron hiding in the back of the drawer. God bless his drunken soul, Jolene thought. Leave it to Piney to have stashes of tequila tucked around the lot.

"First aid kit? What for?" Bobby asked as he got up to check the shelves over the desk. Finding one, he pulled the kit out and dropped it on the desk.

"I need it for Jax." Jolene flipped the box open to make sure it had what she needed. Nope, no sewing kit, she thought sardonically. Jolene was convinced Jax needed stitches.

"Oh, shit. What happened?" Bobby sat down again, and crossed his arms over his ample belly.

"Long story short," Jolene started, her hand on her hip. "His face kept connecting with my dad's fist until it was a bloody and bruised up mess." She explained as Bobby's mouth fell open in disbelief.

"Long story long, please." He implored, wondering what the hell he had missed while nose deep in paperwork.

Running her hand through her hair, Jolene sat on the edge of the desk. "I have something I need to tell you, Uncle Elvis." She started nervously. "I feel awful keeping it from both you and Dad, but I was afraid something like this would happen to Jax. See, Jax and I, we've been seeing each other for the past couple of months and Dad found out today."

"That fuckin' piece of shit!" Bobby muttered angrily under his breath. Jolene's eyes widened, afraid that Jax was in line for another beat down before she had the chance to patch him up from his first one. "I told him not to say anything. I thought I'd have time to talk to Jax first."

Jolene quirked an eyebrow. "Huh? I'm confused. You knew?"

"Kit, I didn't know, but Gemma and I had a feeling something happened that night in Oakland. Since then, we've been running interference, hoping that Jax would wait 'til you were legal to make his move." Bobby explained.

"Hold on," Now Jolene was really confused. "You're okay with it?"

Bobby shrugged his shoulders. "I guess. I mean, aside from wishing that you had come to me first, I think it's great. Jax is hardly recognizable from the man he's been these past two years. He's no longer a miserable prick hell bent on self-destruction. He actually seems happy, and his focus on the Club has been phenomenal." He explained. "He's a better Jax and I should have known you had something to do with that. Well, I knew you had something to do with that, but I've been in denial about the whole thing. After all, this is Jax we're talking about. No offense, Jax is my brother and I love him, but he is a little bit of man whore and it's no secret I love ya like you were my own. He just better do right by you, or I'll break his neck."

Jolene threw herself into Bobby's arms and hugged him within an inch of his life. "I love you so much." She swiped at her tears that were currently falling on Bobby's work shirt, soaking his shoulder. Maybe the worst part of coming out as a couple was over for them, as all three of her parents seemed to be okay with it. "Wait. Who's the fuckin' piece of shit, then?" Jolene asked, pulling away and looking Bobby in the face.

"Kyle. That asshole came to me this morning before leaving for Eureka with Tig and told me he suspected Jax was tapping you. Even though I was positive it was true, I still wanted to punch him in the face. He wanted to tell Clay without confronting Jax with his suspicions first, but I convinced him to wait 'til he got back from his run." Bobby explained. "In the meantime, I was trying to get a hold of Jax, but asswipe wasn't answering his pre-pay. I was trying to warn him that if anything _was_ going on between you two, now was the time to come clean with Clay before Kyle got a hold of him, but apparently Kyle's word is shit anyway as he couldn't keep his mouth shut."

"So Kyle told my dad?" Jolene asked.

"Seems that way." Bobby replied.

"Why would he do that?" Jolene was dumbfounded. "Couldn't something like this get Jax killed?"

"He knows exactly what something like that would do to Jax, Kit." Bobby replied ominously.

So did Jolene. For whatever reason, Kyle was trying to get Jax killed by kicking up a shit storm with her father. Jolene packed up the first aid kit and was heading out the door when she abruptly stopped. Biting her lip, Jolene turned to Bobby again. "Where's Gemma?"

"Home. She and Neeta were doing spring cleaning this weekend." Bobby replied, throwing his glasses on again, determined to finish the books even if sitting in this chair all day killed him.

Jolene cringed. "Maybe you should call her. Give her a head's up about what happened today because I think my dad was heading to the house. He left about ten minutes ago." She explained.

Bobby took off his glasses again and gave Jolene a look that said she was killing him. "Kit, you couldn't say something sooner? Crap! He's probably on his way right now to choke the living shit out of her." He picked up the phone and started dialing.

When Jolene had asked earlier if this day could get any worse, it had been a question, not a challenge. Leaving Bobby to deal with the Gemma crisis, Jolene headed back to the Clubhouse. She was bound by the love she had for Jax to tell him that his brother had gone behind his back to Clay about their relationship.

Not finding Jax where she had left him, Jolene entered the Clubhouse and found him and Opie sitting at the bar.

"Hey, babe," Jax winked at her as she approached him with the first aid kit. "I stopped bleeding." He announced.

Jolene quirked an eyebrow at him as she made furtive eye gestures towards Opie.

"Jo," Opie started, his smug grin barely concealed by the hair on his face. "You know he had to tell me, right?" He said as he took a sip from his bottle of beer.

"You told him?" Jolene asked, her eyes wide as she thumped Jax on the shoulder.

"Clay didn't say I couldn't tell _my_ best friend." Jax smiled as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him.

"Well, since we're on the subject of knowing," Jolene started, letting Jax hold her around the waist as she stood between his legs, in spite of the fact that anyone could walk into the Clubhouse at any moment. "Did my dad tell you how he found out?"

Jax laughed. "Yeah, he did. We got careless, Jo. Clay was at the station house this morning and saw me 'pawing' you while we waited at a red light." He started. "For the record, Ope, I was the one being groped in public."

"I wasn't groping you!" Jolene played up her indignation as Jax looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Okay, maybe just a little, but you were the one choking me with your tongue."

"Alrighty, then," Opie said, slamming his bottle on the bar. His best friend and the girl he loved like his pain-in-the-ass little sister. It was going to take some getting used to. "I'm starting to feel for Clay. I'm gonna go jump in the shower before I feel the need to kick your ass, too."

"You knew it was coming, Ope." Jax called out after him. "You said so yourself." He smiled as Opie flipped him the finger before disappearing down the hall towards the dorms. Jolene slipped out of Jax's arms and onto the stool vacated by Opie.

Looking through the first aid kit for band-aids, Jolene shook her head. "None of this is making sense, Jax."

"What, darlin'?" He leaned towards her as she gently pressed a band-aid smeared with anti-bacterial ointment on the cut above his eye.

"I ran into Bobby at the office. And he knows, by the way." Jolene started, ripping open an alcohol swab.

"How?" Jax asked, his eye twitching a little in response to the alcohol stinging his busted lip as Jolene delicately dabbed at it. Finished, she dropped a light kiss on his slightly swollen lips.

"He and Gemma have been on to us from the beginning. Bobby's okay with it, but you need to talk to him." Jolene explained. She took a deep breath and it came out as a shudder.

Jax was looking at her through narrowed eyes. "What is it, darlin'?" He asked, obvious concern etched on his face.

Jolene brushed her hands over his hair and tucked the loose strands behind his ears. "He was calling earlier today to warn you that someone else knew about us and was threatening to go to Clay without talking to you first. Bobby wanted you to come clean with my dad before this person had the chance to drop the bug in his ear."

Jax's jaw clenched and she could see the rage building up in his eyes as they went from a clear crystal blue to the color of dark denim. Jolene jumped off the stool. Holding his face in her hands, she kissed him, hoping to calm him down before she could bring herself to tell him who it was.

Jax ran his hands up her arms until their fingers met and he intertwined his with hers. Getting caught because of his own carelessness was one thing, but to be ratted out was an entirely different matter.

"Do you want to know who it was?" Jolene asked cautiously.

Jax shook his head, his mouth set in grim line. "It was Kyle." He said looking Jolene straight in the eye. Jolene was speechless. How did he know? "This motherfucker has had it in for me for weeks now, darlin'. Now he's just trying to get me killed."

* * *

It was almost 4:00 and Gemma had not heard from Jolene regarding her meeting with her P.O. She shook her head while folding her fresh-smelling, newly-washed table linen. Neeta was right. Line drying made all the difference in the world. After folding the last of her good napkins, Gemma pulled out her chair at the table and lit a cigarette. Normally, not hearing from Jolene wouldn't have her nerves on edge, but today was different. Jax was with her. Those two had quite a pair of cojones between them. No doubt that wherever they were at this moment, telling Clay about their relationship was the last thing on their minds. Jax had assured her that he would talk to Clay as soon as possible after Jolene's final probation meeting. Gemma was sure that a still scared-to-death Jolene had managed to distract her son from doing just that today.

"Gemma!" Neeta called out to her as she made her way from the laundry room with a basket of wet clothes to hang outside. "What was the point of doing laundry if you're going to blow smoke all over your fresh linen?" She chastised as the cordless on the kitchen counter started ringing. Dropping the basket on the floor, Neeta picked up the phone. "Teller-Morrow residence. Hey, Chief Unser . . . I'm doing well, and yourself? . . . Good, glad to hear it . . . Sure, she's right here." Neeta handed the phone to Gemma with one hand and plucked her cigarette out of her hand with the other. "I know I just didn't waste a Saturday afternoon doing laundry only to have you stink it up again. Nuh huh." She stubbed the cigarette out and grabbed Gemma's pack off the table and stuffed it into her pocket before picking up the laundry basket and heading outside.

Gemma was shaking her head in disbelief as she brought the phone up to her ear. "Hey, Wayne. How's it going? Did you see Clay today?" Gemma reached for her purse and pulled out an unopened pack of cigarettes.

" _I did actually. That's why I'm calling. I think I'm gonna have to take a rain check for Sunday dinner this week." Unser started. "Gemma, I feel it's my duty to warn you. I think Jax may be in a heap of trouble with Clay."_

"What? What are you talking about?" Gemma said, forgetting to light the cigarette now dangling from her mouth.

" _Yeah, Clay was by the [beep] earlier and saw Jax and [beep] in a compromising [beep]." Unser explained as the call waiting beeps cut off most of what he was saying._

"What? Hold on a sec, Wayne." Gemma looked at the caller i.d. and saw T-M's number on the other line. Ignoring it, she returned to Chief Unser. "What was that again? I couldn't understand you."

" _I said, Clay was by the station house earlier and saw Jax and Jolene in a compromising situation." Unser repeated._

Gemma could have sworn her heart had stopped beating. She opened her mouth several times to speak, but only ended up looking like a fish out of water gasping for air as nothing came out. Pinching the bridge of her nose and taking a deep breath, Gemma was finally able to find her voice again. "What do you mean by 'compromising situation'?"

" _Well, they were stopped at a red light at the 4-way intersection by the station house. Clay said something about them being on their way to Lodi for a probation meeting, and let's just say that if Jolene was giving Jax a prostate exam, she was massaging the wrong area." Unser tried to explain the situation without actually saying she was giving him a hand job in the middle of downtown Charming traffic._

"Prostate exam? What the—" Realization finally dawning, Gemma was incredulous. "What the fuck? Are you saying she was rubbing his dick?"

" _Yeah," Unser said, a little embarrassed even though they weren't face-to-face. "He didn't seem to mind, though. As a matter of fact, I didn't think it was possible to kiss someone like that without actually facing them."_

"Holy shit!" Gemma felt her insides turn to water. "And Clay saw this?"

" _Yeah, he did and that's why I'm calling because I don't think he was too happy about it either."_

"You think?" Gemma started sarcastically. "Wait a minute. You said they were heading to Lodi? That was this morning. You waited over 8 hours to call and tell me? What the hell is wrong with you, Wayne?"

" _I got sidetracked," Unser defended himself. "I do have a day job, you know."_

"You mean stopping Clay from committing the murder of my son isn't part of your day job? What kind of fuckin' cop are you? Jax could be dead by now. I might as well just go straight to the morgue and identify the body." Gemma could only yell because otherwise she'd be pretty damn close to hysterical.

Neeta was running up the back stairs and into the house just as Gemma heard what she knew was Clay's bike peal into the driveway and come to a screeching halt.

"Clay's home," Neeta announced, looking for her purse. "And he doesn't look too happy."

"Shit! You may have a triple homicide on your hands, Wayne. I'd stay close to the phone if I were you." Gemma said before hanging up and tossing the phone back onto its cradle. Searching through her handbag, Gemma couldn't find her gun. "Neeta, go get me my hatbox, please."

Neeta, who was now searching for her car keys, stopped and turned to Gemma, her hand on her hip. "Why? I know what's in that hatbox, Gemma."

"Remember that little secret we agreed to keep for Jax and Jolene?" Gemma asked.

Neeta was shaking her head. "Aw hell's no! Gemma, forget a gun! We need to get on our knees and pray to Jesus cuz we will be in his glorious presence before this day is through!"

"Damnit, Neeta! Don't you dare let on that we knew anything about this!" Gemma admonished. "Take a page from the Man Handbook and deny, deny, deny!"

"We? What's this 'we' business? I'm just the hired help." She replied as Clay tore through the back door.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Gemma plastered onto her face the warmest, most welcoming smile she could manage under the circumstances that had undoubtedly led to her son's death. "Hi . . . honey. What brings. You home. So early?"

"Oh I don't know. I just couldn't wait to get home and tell ya the good news." Clay said, doing a horrible job of feigning a good mood.

_Ring!_

"Good news? Really? What?" She questioned innocently.

"Oh, I'm sure you already know," Clay narrowed his eyes at Gemma. "Not much slips past your radar when it comes to Jax."

_Ring!_

"Clay, you really have to be more specific," Gemma stepped into fierce mother bear mode. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, my bad." Clay replied calmly. "Let me enlighten you. It seems that Jolene was indeed seeing someone."

_Ring!_

Gemma raised an eyebrow. "Really? Who?" She asked while reaching for the distraction of the ringing phone.

"Leave it!" Clay barked, causing Gemma to pull her hand back as if she had just touched a hot surface. "We both know who! Seems your adult son has been fuckin' my teenage daughter!"

Gemma's hand flew up to her chest. "Jesus Christ, Clay!" She started, prepared to argue that he must be mistaken, but Clay stopped her with his steely death glare.

_Ring!_

"Woman, if I were you, I'd choose my next words very carefully." Clay pointed a finger at her. "I know you knew. The question is, how long have you known?" He asked, his voice bordering on a low growl.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Clay." Gemma started, throwing a stealthy glance towards Neeta, who was slowly inching her way out the back door. Catching Gemma trying to talk to Neeta with big, wide eyes, Clay spun around, causing Neeta to freeze where she stood.

_Ring!_

"Okay, Frick. If you won't tell me, maybe Frack here will buckle under pressure." Clay directed at Neeta, who swallowed so hard, Gemma heard it across the room. "What did you know and when did you know it?"

"Clay, with all due respect," Neeta started. "What I know is that I'm on parole and that I have no business being near a crime scene."

Clay shook his head, exasperated. He had to hand it to Gemma. Neeta was just one of the many residents of Charming under Gemma's Machiavellian-like spell.

_Ring!_

" _You have reached the Teller-Morrow residence. Please leave a message after the tone."_

_Beep!_

" _Gemma!" Bobby called out from the other end of the line. "If you're home, please pick up the phone. Gemma! Neeta? Aw, shit, it's probably already too goddamn late. Gemma, if you're_ _not already walking towards the light, Clay's on his way home. He knows about Jax and Jolene and from what Jolene's told me about the re-arrangement of Jax's face, he's not happy, so get the fuck out until he calms down!"_

Snatching the phone off its cradle, Clay brought it up to his mouth, holding it like a walkie-talkie.

"Damnit, Bobby! Not you too!" Clay yelled into the phone.

_Click!_

Suddenly, the fury on his face was replaced by shock. "He hung up on me."

Inching herself over to Clay, Gemma gently pulled the phone out of his hand and placed it back on its cradle. "Clay, honey, let's just sit and talk about this." She started.

Clay was shaking his head. "Too late." Shoulders slumped, he turned his back on Gemma and headed towards the back door, prompting Neeta to nearly trip over one of the dining chairs in an effort to clear a path. Clay opened the door and appeared to be leaving without saying another word when he suddenly turned around on the porch. "I know your son can do no wrong in your eyes, Gemma," He started, his voice devoid of the anger on display not two seconds ago. "But if you keep something like this from me again and your boy ends up hurting my little girl, I swear on the love that I have for you, I _will_ kill him. I'll kill him 'til he dies from it. Then . . . I'm coming for your bird."

* * *

Only half-listening as Bobby droned on and on about the Club's prosperity, Jax had one elbow on the table as he puffed away on a cigarette, his glare fixated on Kyle. Apparently, Kyle had made good on his threat to go to Clay with what he thought he knew about him and Jolene without coming to Jax first. Playing it off, Clay had assured Kyle that if there was anything going on, he would take care of it. Emphasizing that Kyle was best served to stop with the rumor mongering, Clay had warned him that the blow back from a volatile situation like this could end up taking down a lot of people. Considering that this involved his daughter, Clay reminded Kyle that the messenger always got his first.

Fearing that he would now come across like a rat, Kyle regretted ever getting involved. Judging by the bruises evident on Jax's face when he had returned from Eureka, maybe Bobby had already taken the Intel to Clay and everyone had been put back in their place during his absence. If the looks Jax had been throwing his way these past couple of days were any indication, Kyle was willing to bet that his name had not been left out of it. So be it. Jax may be built like a gladiator and had the advantage of being 15 years younger, but Kyle hadn't been the one banging the SAMCRO Princess. Surprised that Jax was even still breathing, Kyle was positive nonetheless that if push ever came to shove between the two of them, his brothers would have his back, with the exception of Opie, of course.

The banging of Clay's gavel drew both Jax and Kyle out of the grip of their visual death match, with Kyle quickly making his way out of the Chapel, followed by a procession heading towards the bar led by Piney.

"You alright, son?" Clay grabbed Jax's arm, stopping him as he was about to beeline it straight to Kyle.

"I will be," Jax replied, his intentions coming across clear as day as he nudged his arm out of Clay's grip and made his way out of the room.

"Go after him." Clay admonished Bobby, who jumped up and followed Jax, closing the door behind him, leaving just Clay and Big Otto at the table.

"We need to talk," Clay said to Big Otto before his VP could get up and leave the Chapel.

* * *

Catching up to Jax before he had the chance to barrel towards Kyle, Bobby jumped in front of him. Patting him on the shoulder of his cut, Bobby nudged Jax towards the bar. "Come have a drink with me." Bobby suggested. "It'll calm us both down."

"I don't need a drink, Bobby." Jax said, still glaring at Kyle over the top of Bobby's head.

"Humor me." Bobby replied. "If not for me, then for that someone special we both know and love."

Now looking Bobby in the eye, Jax allowed himself a self-deprecating smile. "That's not fair."

"All's fair in love and war, brother." Bobby patted him on the back as Jax let himself be led to the bar.

Slipping onto the stool next to Piney, Jax watched as Bobby stepped behind the bar and poured him four fingers of whiskey. "I have every right to turn that asshole into chum."

"I know and if you ever need an alibi, you can count on me." Bobby agreed, popping open a beer for himself. "But in order to stay in Clay's good graces, in spite of everything that's gone down, you need to contain your shit. It's an open secret, Jax, but that rat fink don't know that. You go off shooting your pistols half-cocked, you're just gonna end up fucking it up for not just yourself, but Kit as well."

"Yeah," Piney concurred. "And did I happen to mention to you that if you ever hurt my drinking buddy, I will fuck you up?"

"Yeah, old man," Jax laughed before downing the contents of his glass. "You did and I'm shaking in my kicks as we speak."

Piney threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Asshole!" He playfully punched Jax on the shoulder. Turning on his stool, Jax locked eyes with Kyle again, only this time, Kyle was feeling the liquid courage of the Johnnie Walker Black bottle he was holding.

"You got something you wanna get off your chest, Jax?" He said from across the room. Jax shook his head as he chuckled and jumped off the stool.

"There's nothing we need to talk about that my fists can't handle on their own." Jax said, walking towards Kyle.

"Oh shit!" Tig jumped onto the seat vacated by Jax. "About fuckin' time!" He exclaimed, rubbing his hands with glee.

Bobby nearly pushed Tig off the stool. "Hey, Sergeant at Arms! Why don't you go quash that shit before it gets outta hand?"

Tig was shaking his head. "Nah, these two have been circling each other long enough. Jax needs to beat the will to live out of this prick."

"Put the pool cue and the bottle down," Jax commanded, practically nose-to-nose with Kyle. "And let's take care of this shit like men."

"Hey, Bobby!" Clay called from the open Chapel door. "I thought I told you to take care of this shit."

Stepping up behind Clay, Big Otto whistled loud enough to get everyone's attention, except Jax and Kyle, who were still facing each other. "Yo, shithead! I wanna talk to you. Now!"

Without breaking eye contact, Kyle waved him away. "I'm kinda busy right now. Golden boy here and I, we have business that needs taking care of. We'll talk later."

"I'm glad you know your name," Big Otto started. "But I meant the other shithead you're 'talking' to."

Big Otto sounded pissed. More significant, he was pissed at Jax. Kyle started laughing. "Take him." He said, stepping away from Jax. "But I got dibs on what's left of your ass later." He pointed at Jax before taking a healthy gulp from his bottle.

Jax backed away from Kyle and, with his usual swagger, followed Big Otto into the Chapel. Closing the door behind him, Jax was confronted by Big Otto, who was leaning against the Redwood table, his arms crossed over his chest.

Without uncrossing his arms, Big Otto pointed to the VP patch on his cut. "I earned this patch, Jax and along with it I earned the respect that's due to the Vice President of the Mother Charter. Am I right or am I just fooling myself by thinking that you would know that too?"

Confused, Jax shook his head. "Nah, bro. You know I have nothing but respect for you, respect for that patch."

"Then why you treating me as if I'm no better than that goofy-looking Prospect of yours out there?" Big Otto questioned. With his trademark soft-spoken calmness in place, Jax wasn't really sure just how pissed Otto actually was.

"I would never treat you like that, man, but first you gotta tell me what I did." Jax inquired.

"Why do I have to find out from Clay that you're banging his underage daughter?" Big Otto asked, his voice a low growl and with a scowl on his face.

"Aw, shit, man." Jax ran his hand through his hair. "No disrespect was intended, Otto, but I've been in the shit since this whole thing came out."

Dropping his head into his chest, Big Otto laughed, his shoulders actually shaking. With knitted brows and back to being confused, Jax watched Otto apparently having a breakdown.

Looking up at Jax again, Big Otto was smiling. "Listen, bro. I'm just busting your balls. I'm not entirely surprised, I have to say. The dick wants what the dick wants, right? Besides, Jolene's had a rope around your neck since she was ten. She just finally decided to yank your ass in."

Jax shook his head, his hand rubbing the hair on his chin. The past couple of days have had him feeling like a Prospect all over again. He has taken so much shit from his brothers that he can't get the taste out of his mouth.

"But seriously, man. Jolene's a good kid. She's beautiful and smart and a badass to boot. She took a bat to some schmuck's dome for you, for Chrissake." Big Otto said, still amazed that someone who was outweighed by the bat itself could cause that much damage. "She's gonna make an amazing old lady, Jax. What I need to know is that this thing is more than just fun and games for you."

"It is." Jax responded, looking him in the eye. "You know me, Otto. I don't have to say 'I love you' to a chick in order for me to get laid. Saying I love someone is not something I just throw around, but I love her. I can't even remember the person I was two months ago. I can't even remember the reasons why I was so miserable these past two years 'cause I'm convinced, man, I've never known anything like this before Jolene."

Big Otto smiled. "That's what the love of a good woman does to you, bro. Makes you forget all the past bullshit. It makes you feel like Superman 'cause with it, you feel like you can do anything. Plus, there's no greater feeling, Jax than having the woman you love look at you like no other man exists. Like she knows you were made for her and only her and trust me, this is something Jolene's known for years . . . Don't fuck it up."

"I won't." Jax promised.

"Good. Jolene's like the daughter me and Luann never had, and I have to tell you—JT's kid or not—you jack her up, they'll never find your body. As a former SAA, you know I can make shit like that happen." Big Otto threatened.

Jax chuckled to himself. Just his luck, being the notorious pussy hound that he was, to finally fall for the one girl with more fathers than the Catholic Church. He'd lost count on how many times his life has been threatened this week.

"Now, tell me what this bullshit between you and Kyle is about." Big Otto changed gears.

Jax shook his head. "It's been brewing for months now, but he crossed the line when he went to Clay behind my back and told him about me and Jolene. That's some serious shit, man. I'd be dead if Clay hadn't already known. Worse, that piece of shit didn't care that something like that would have hurt Jolene too and anyone who tries to hurt her is as good as dead. Next time, you won't be there to stop me."

Big Otto was nodding. "That _is_ some serious shit, but you know what? I'm not surprised. And I saw it coming, too. Kyle skates by most of the time. I'm still shocked as shit every time I look down the table and see him sitting there. He doesn't deserve that seat. He hasn't earned it. He covets the glory that he is too damn lazy to go after for himself, and he resents anyone who puts 110% into the Club and gets rewarded."

"Then why is he still here? Fuck sitting at the table. Why does he even get to wear that cut on his back?" Jax asked exasperated.

"Probably 'cause it wasn't always this way. Kyle and I, we both started as friends. We even prospected together. As a matter of fact, your old man, JT, was our sponsor. We were given the same opportunities to prove ourselves and he did, but something changed in him once he earned his top rocker." Big Otto explained. "Club business became secondary. It was all about the pussy and the prestige and respect that came from simply wearing that cut. Our friendship took a big hit when JT tapped me to serve as his SAA. He couldn't deal with it. Called it pure dumb luck on my part and favoritism on JT's, but it was just proof that even JT knew Kyle didn't have what it takes to be a SAMCRO officer. Clay saw that too. Being the hot head he is, Clay knew he needed someone with a level head who wasn't afraid to dig deep and get dirty. Our friendship ended the day Clay chose me to be his VP. I only added fuel to his fire when I recommended bringing Tig down from Tacoma to take over as SAA."

Jax wasn't one to get off on other people's failures, but he had to be honest with himself. After hearing that, Jax was going to be smiling for days.

"He has it in for you," Big Otto continued. "That's fuckin' clear as crystal, but I'm sitting here telling you this legacy bullshit, that's his obsession. No one at this table believes or has ever even thought that you were riding on the coattails of your father's name. It's the love and respect that you have for this Club more than anything that has gotten you this far and it shows. Everyone knows 'cause they've seen how you've stepped up and they respect you for it. You know, now that I think about it, you are the perfect blend of Kyle and me. Kyle has always been all about the women and the booze and the good times. I see that in you, too. You're a pussy magnet, but you know how to balance that shit with the hard work needed to succeed, not only for your own personal benefit, but for the growth of the Club as well. You're young, Jax, but I already see that you embody the principles of a good leader. I kinda wanna take you under my wing, bring you along, but at the same time I'm willing to extend a hand, you have to be the one that steps up. You can't fuck around with it 'cause then Kyle won't be the lone voice in that choir crying nepotism. I know you can do it. You just have the added burden of knowing that you have shit to get done while looking over your shoulder. I can't stress it enough, Jax. You really have to watch your back with Kyle."

"I know and I will," Jax replied. "But it sounds like maybe you should be watching your back, too."

Big Otto laughed. "I'm an old dog, Jax. I can handle my shit, so don't worry about me. I've got your back, but just remember that breaking the heart of my little girl is a deal breaker. So keep your shit together and don't hurt her."

"I won't." Jax promised yet again as Big Otto pulled him in for a shoulder-bumping, back-slapping man hug. As Jax turned to leave, Big Otto called him back.

"Oh, just one more thing, Jax." He said.

"Yeah?" Jax turned towards Big Otto and was met by his ham fist connecting with his jaw. It wasn't hard enough to knock him off his feet, but just hard enough to have Jax on a liquid diet for the next day or so.

Shocked, Jax was looking at Big Otto like he'd just lost his mind while rubbing his jaw. "What? Did you think I was just gonna let you off the hook?" Big Otto laughed as he thumped Jax on the shoulder on his way out of the Chapel.

* * *

_Two weeks later._

Jolene stepped into the hallway outside the Judge's Chambers, followed by Jax, Gemma, and finally her father. All three had the same grim, tight-lipped look on their faces as Jolene, except hers bordered on barely under control seething. They all had known what to expect. Each one had read and re-read her probation officer's report to the Judge as soon as Rosen had sent it over. Whoever said that knowing was half the battle didn't know what they were talking about. Jolene still managed to feel like she'd been sucker-punched in the face the minute McAllister had opened her mouth to argue why she recommended against expunging Jolene's record. In spite of having read the file Rosen had put together of glowing reports and letters of recommendation from Habitat for Humanity, her teachers, and guidance counselors, the Judge took one look at the cuts on the backs of Clay and Jax and agreed with McAllister.

Rosen had advised that maybe it would be a good idea to forgo wearing their cuts in front of the Judge, especially since it was so blatantly obvious from McAllister's report that her issue had been the Club and not Jolene's performance during probation. But Jolene had insisted that her behavior should speak for itself, and if that wasn't enough to convince the Judge to do what was right, so be it. She for one was not ashamed of her affiliation to the MC. With the exception of Gemma and Donna, everyone she loved proudly wore the same cut and these men were her protectors and her family. Each one would willingly risk their lives for her, no questions asked. It was more than just a club. The Reaper was a family insignia and she was just as proud of those worthy enough to wear it on their backs as they were for earning the privilege.

Jax gently grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. "You still pissed off, darlin'?"

Jolene nodded her head. "Yes." She replied angrily.

"I still want a hug." Jax said, pulling her arms around his waist. "I might even kiss ya, as long as you don't pull a Tig and try biting my face off." He teased.

"You should be safe as long as there's no steel bat around." Clay kidded, forcing a chuckle out of Jolene. Smiling, he threw a playful wink at his daughter as he brought his unlit cigar up to his mouth.

"You can't light up in here." Debra McAllister said as she stepped out of the Judge's Chambers.

Clay turned to glare at the woman that barely reached his chest. "I know," He threw his hands up. "That's why I have no lighter in my hands."

"Can we help you?" Gemma asked, her hand on her hip as she got in between Jolene, still in Jax's arms, and McAllister, who was looking at the young couple with a smug look on her face.

"Can I talk to you alone for a moment, Jolene?" McAllister asked, ignoring Gemma's question.

Jolene tightened her grip around Jax's waist. "You have nothing to say that I want to hear."

"Please, it won't take long." McAllister implored. Deciding against causing a scene, Jolene gave in and reluctantly let go of Jax. Crossing the hall towards McAllister, Jolene stopped in front of her, arms crossed over her chest.

"You have every right in the world to be upset." McAllister started. "I had no idea that the Judge would decide not to expunge your record."

Jolene was flustered, bordering on hysterical. "Really? What did you think would happen? Your report twisted an incident of self-defense into my introduction to a life of crime, all sponsored by my father and my family back in Charming. I don't think the Judge really had a choice."

"It was never my intention—" McAllister started, but Jolene turned to walk away. Reaching out, McAllister grabbed Jolene by the arm, causing her to spin around ready to pounce. Clay and Jax took a quick step towards them as Gemma gasped, wide-eyed before Jolene stopped herself, but just barely.

Jolene shook her head as she chuckled to herself in disbelief. This bitch was trying to get her locked up for real.

"Can I finish?" McAllister asked, her hands up.

"I think you're done," Jax started towards Jolene, but Clay held him back.

"You've got one minute. After that, I'm turning my back, expecting to never have to lay eyes on you ever again," Jolene said, her voice low, but nonetheless menacing. "So if you know what's good for the both of us, you'll keep your hands to yourself."

McAllister was shaking her head. "Jolene, I don't want to end on a bad note with you. I think you're an exceptional young woman. It was never my intention to sway the Judge against clearing your record, but I could not in good conscience leave my legitimate concerns out of that report. The Judge did what he deemed as necessary. You've already overcome a lot in life. I have no doubt that you will overcome this as well and that it will never be an issue for you." McAllister explained.

Jolene was giving her a dead-eyed stare. "We done now?" She asked, one eyebrow raised and ready to leave it all behind in the rear view.

"One more thing," McAllister replied. A bitter smile was tugging the corner of Jolene's mouth as she could hear her family muttering and cursing under their breath behind her. "Jolene, Valentina has gone through outpatient rehab and is now 21 days sober. Her sponsor contacted me, hoping that I'd be able to convince you to let your mother come down for graduation."

Feeling like a bucket of ice water had just been dumped on her, Jolene couldn't keep herself from shaking. Fed up, Clay was approaching his daughter when Gemma suddenly reached out and stopped him.

"Wait one goddamn second!" Gemma stepped around Clay and grabbed Jolene, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. "You tell that crank whore egg donor that Jolene's _mother_ is going to her graduation. I will be standing proudly next to my husband and son as we watch her open a new chapter in her life. You tell her that Jolene's _mother_ said if she so much as steps a toe inside Charming, she's gonna wish she never gave up drugs. She's gonna need 'em to dull the pain from the ass whupping I will gladly welcome her with." With her arm still around Jolene, Gemma turned and led her down the hall to the exit, followed by a smirking Jax and Clay. Continuing down the courthouse steps, they walked about half a block, stopping only once reaching Gemma's black Cadillac.

"You okay, baby?" Gemma turned to face Jolene, her hands on her shoulders. Jolene was looking at Gemma with wide eyes filled not only with unshed tears, but pride as well.

"I've never been better," Jolene smiled as Gemma pulled her in for a hug. Unable to contain himself, Clay wrapped his arms around the two women he loved like no other.

Finally letting go of each other, Jolene turned to Jax and threw herself into his arms. Hugging her tightly, Jax smiled. "It's about time, darlin'. I was starting to feel left out of this love fest."

Backing away a little, Jolene held his face in her hands and smiled. "Never." She said, pulling him in for a kiss.

Clay cleared his throat loudly. "What did I say about the PDA?" He asked gruffly as Jax finally let go of Jolene.

Gemma nudged his shoulder. "Leave 'em be. It's a special occasion."

"Not as special as her 18th birthday and that's still a couple weeks away." Clay reminded them all.

Stepping away from Jax, Jolene approached her dad. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she kissed his cheek. "Alright, we get it, Dad."

"You okay?" Clay whispered, nudging her chin up with his index finger.

Jolene smiled happily and nodded. "I really am."

"Good," Clay smiled and kissed her forehead. "Let's get outta here before they come lookin' for Jax."

"Me? What did I do?" Jax quirked an eyebrow at Clay.

"Cradle-robbing," Both Clay and Jolene replied. "You didn't see that coming?" She teased.

Gemma kissed Clay and went to get into her car. "Time to hit the road." She called out to Jolene.

"Nah," Jax wrapped his arm around Jolene's waist and pulled her back towards him. "I'm taking over from here, Ma."

Jolene looked from Gemma to Clay with wide eyes.

"Okay," Gemma replied reluctantly, waiting for Clay to pop.

"Don't get back too late," Clay chimed in. "Bobby's putting together a little party to celebrate your free woman status." He walked towards his bike and started gearing up.

"On a Monday? I love it. I get off probation and you guys get to party." Jolene kidded as her father threw a wink at her. Realizing she would never understand men, Gemma shrugged her shoulders. Blowing a kiss to Jax and Jolene, she got into her car.

Watching them pull away, Jolene laughed. "That was easy."

"Too easy." Jax replied skeptically, bending to nuzzle her neck.

"Yeah, I think he forgot I was supposed to head back to school and do a half-day." Jolene couldn't control the shivers he was sending down her spine that hardened her nipples.

Turning her in his arms, Jax kissed her mouth softly. "What he don't remember, darlin', won't hurt us. Let's go." He grabbed Jolene by the hand and led her to his bike.


	9. Property of Jax Teller

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

The tires of Jolene's Mustang screeched as she pulled into the parking lot of Nicky's Diner. She had just spent the last 40 minutes waiting for Donna at the nail salon. Worried by the fact that Donna had failed to show up for their much-anticipated girly afternoon of pampering, Jolene had finally given in and called her house when Donna's cell phone kept going into voice-mail. Donna's mom had reluctantly informed her that she was doing a double shift at the diner and would be getting off work at midnight. Worry had quickly turned into hurt confusion. Her best friend had stood her up and was now obviously avoiding her. Slamming her car door, Jolene tore into Nicky's looking for answers.

For a Saturday afternoon, the diner was unusually quiet, with just a scattering of regulars enjoying a late lunch. Jolene's concern now morphed into anger. Why the hell was Donna casually leaning on the counter, sipping on a Coke, and chit-chatting with a co-worker when she should have been lying dead in ditch? Without a proper excuse, and as stressed out as she was today, Jolene could easily arrange a trip for Donna to the ER.

Jolene stopped in front of her friend, both hands on the waistband of her low-riding jeans. Donna continued talking to the other waitress, her face never betraying the fact that she saw Jolene standing there. "D, did you forget about our date today?"

Still looking at her co-worker, Donna cocked her head to the side. "Did you hear something, Abby?"

Taken aback, Jolene looked at her with wide eyes. "Donna, I'm standing right here. You're just going to ignore me?"

"I only talk to people who are real and honest with their friends." Donna said, still addressing Abby, who had a smug look on her face that did not go unnoticed by Jolene.

"Ha! You tell her!" The mousy blonde Abby egged Donna on.

"Who the fuck are you and why are you in my business?" Jolene admonished, turning on Abby. "And I better like the answer cuz this can quickly become about me putting my foot up _your_ ass!"

"Jesus, Jolene," Donna quickly grabbed her hand. "Calm down." She led her through the kitchen and out the back door.

Turning to face each other, Jolene folded her arms across her chest. "D, we're not kids anymore. If I did something to upset you, why are you playing these mind games instead of just coming out and telling me how I fucked up this time?"

Donna was shaking her head. "You're supposed to be my BFF, Jolene. We've been more like sisters ever since middle school, right?" She asked and Jolene nodded. "Then as my friend, why didn't you clue me in about the real deal with the Club?"

Jolene felt the color drain out of her face. Damn Opie and his perfect fuckin' timing!

"All this time, I've been trying to convince my parents that Opie is nothing more than a mechanic who happens to love to ride and now, after two years of bullshitting me, Opie finally comes clean and I find out that's not really the case at all." Donna said close to tears. "He refers to himself as an outlaw biker, Jolene. Do you know what that means? It means that my parents were right all along. The stuff I brushed off as rumors and innuendo, all true. And he's still not telling me the whole story, I can feel it! What little he has, though, is life-altering, Jolene. Why weren't you straight with me? Why couldn't my best friend soften the blow for me, even if just a little?"

"Shit, D, you know I love you. You are my bestie and you always will be." Jolene started, stopping to take a deep breath. "There's no easy way to say this, but Club business stays within the MC and doesn't go to outsiders."

"I'm an outsider?" Donna asked, hurt that those she grew up with and cared for like family had been keeping her at arm's length all this time.

"I don't mean for it to sound like that, but that's the way it is. The Club is my family, you know this, and you don't turn your back on family. I always wanted to tell you. I've told Ope from the beginning that he needed to be straight with you about the Club, but it was his call to make, not mine." Jolene explained. "I'm glad that he finally told you. You have no idea what a huge step that is. Opie telling you, even if it's still not all of it, means he's in it for the long haul, Donna. Are you? You've been crying on my shoulder for the last two years about Ope—you love him, you hate him, he makes the earth move, he's an idiot. Bottom line is, now that you know what you know, you have a choice to make. Like Jax, Opie was born into this Life. It's all he knows. It's all he's ever going to know and he's not going to leave it. So this is on you. You love the man, you love the Club. You don't love the Club…"

"Then what, I don't love the man? That is so black and white, Jolene." Donna sighed.

"I was gonna say then you _learn_ to love the Club. The love you have for your man should always remain the constant, Donna. Everything else is adaptable." Jolene replied.

"This is too much bullshit to process right now." Donna said angrily, running her hand through her hair. "And I can't escape the feeling that another shoe is about to drop."

Jolene looked at her with wide eyes. Taking a deep breath, Jolene decided to suck it up. "I haven't been completely honest with you myself, D, and not just about Ope, but about me."

Donna glared at Jolene, stepping back from her as if standing too close would burn. "What? Just tell me." She demanded, tight-lipped.

"Donna, you know me better than anyone. What is the one thing I want more than life itself?" Jolene asked.

"What is this, a trick question? You wanna snag Jax Teller, duh." Donna snickered. "Jo, I hate to break it to you, but that's not exactly a secret. Practically everybody in Charming knows that.

" _Everybody_?" Jolene raised an eyebrow.

" _Everybody!_ " Donna retorted.

"Well, not everybody knows that I have." Jolene replied, quietly.

Donna's smug grin fell off her face. "Shut up!" She pushed Jolene. "Are you kidding me? You bagged him?"

Jolene's smile was as bright as a 1,000-watt bulb. "Hell's yeah! He's bagged and tagged."

"What? Have you…" Donna started, her eyebrows bouncing up and down.

"This is Jax Teller we're talking about, what do you think?" Jolene replied with a cheeky grin.

"Oh my God! But how?" Donna stopped, shaking her head. "I know the mechanics of the how. I mean, where?" She practically yelled.

"Everywhere! Even on his bike!" Jolene responded as Donna's mouth fell open. "The man is truly gifted, if you know what I mean, an amazing teacher, and he is a true believer in that practice makes perfect. I've discovered that I can do things with my body and bend in ways I didn't think were possible," Jolene explained. "But then all hell broke loose. First we got busted by Gemma, then my Dad."

"OMG!" Donna laughed, for the moment forgetting her issues with Opie and Jolene. "When's the funeral?" She kidded.

"It really wasn't as bad as it could've been," Jolene started thinking of Kyle. "Jax is a quick healer."

"Holy shit! I think I have to sit down. How long has this been going on?"

"Yeah, maybe you should sit down cuz here comes another shoe," Jolene began as she bit her finger. "It started the night I went to Oakland with Doug."

"Oakland? You bitch! And you didn't tell me?" Donna grabbed Jolene and shook her slightly.

"I couldn't. No one could know until I worked up enough courage to tell my dad first, but apparently my inability to keep my hands off of Jax's junk smoked me out. My dad saw us together, which quickly led to him beating Jax to a bloody pulp. He must have thought I was worth it though 'cause Jax was determined to stick around. Then my dad issued a gag order until I was legal and specifically forbid me from telling anyone, even you."

"But I'm your best friend!" Donna argued, once again hurt that she had been labeled an outsider.

"I know and so did he, but it was his call to make as Club President. I had no choice." Jolene explained.

"This is crazy," Donna started, shaking her head. How much control did the Club have over the people she loved, including non-members? "This is a little too much for me to handle right now."

"Look, I know this is a lot to drop on you all at once and I had planned on telling you about me and Jax today, during our day of beauty, but I hadn't expected Ope to drop the Club bomb on you first. This is not the way I wanted any of it to go down for you, but it is what it is. The question is how are you going to deal with it?"

Donna's head was spinning and she felt out of control. "You know I love you and I love Ope, but I just need time to think."

"Okay," Jolene conceded, afraid she knew the answer to her next question. "Are you still coming to the party tonight?"

"I don't know." Donna shook her head sadly as she fought the urge to cry, not sure if after today she would ever want to see Opie or Jolene again.

* * *

Jolene needed to stop fussing with her hair. She kept telling herself that each time she ran back to her mirrored-dresser to check on it. Tonight was a special night. Jolene had officially turned 18 almost 48 hours ago. Even though Gemma had managed to keep Jax at bay, telling him to take it slow and ease Clay into their relationship being out in the open, Jolene knew all bets were off tonight. If she knew Jax, he was done waiting to stake his claim before God and any biker within a 50 mile radius. Tonight was the night she would go from being Clay Morrow's daughter to Jax Teller's old lady.

Jolene had been waiting for this night for what seemed like a lifetime. Tonight, the night of her official birthday party at the Clubhouse, was beyond special for her and Jolene was going the extra mile to look the part. Gemma and Luann had managed to convince her to wear an actual dress for the first time in years. Jolene had relented, but only if she got to pick the dress out for herself. She wasn't having none of those stripper/porn star outfits Luann was always trying to push on her.

Fluttering around the room aimlessly, burning off nervous energy, Jolene finally forced herself to sit down on the edge of her bed. She was already running late and was nowhere near ready. She had taken extra care with her shower and shampoo routine, making sure that any area that needed to be hairless was, while another, more private area was neatly trimmed. She washed and conditioned her hair and styled it until it was a shiny mass of black curls. As she entered her second hour of prep, Gemma had given up on waiting for Jolene and had headed to the Clubhouse to supervise the army of croweaters she had assembled for the occasion.

After lavishing her skin with a designer body lotion with just a hint of glitter, Jolene slipped into the trashiest lingerie she could muster enough courage to wear. She had no idea what after-party plans Jax had in store for her, but she was going to be prepared nonetheless. Re-thinking her choice in underwear, Jolene was afraid that maybe she had pushed herself over the border and into Hooker Town. Jolene got up from the bed in order to check herself out in the lavender and black bra and garter set in front of the full length mirror behind her bedroom door.

"Jesus Christ, darlin'!" Jax exclaimed as he caught sight of her bare round ass in a G-string.

Jolene, her hand hovering over her rapidly beating heart, slowly turned around to face him. "Jax!" She nearly screamed. "You scared the shit out of me!"

"Holy fuck!" He ran his hand over his face. He thought she looked amazing from behind. Facing him, she nearly struck him blind she was so beautiful. Jax was beaming, his eyes drinking in the fact that she was about to fall out of her bra. Jolene braced herself, looking for an exit as she saw his wolfish grin slip firmly into place. Jax pushed himself away from the doorjamb and stalked a wide-eyed Jolene across the room.

"No!" Jolene protested, her hands out in front of her trying to hold him back. Jax backed her into the corner near the bedside table. She was screwed and, if the look he was giving her was any indication, she was about to get screwed thoroughly as well. "Jax, please, let me go." She begged. If she didn't show up within the next half hour, Gemma was going to make sure she didn't get to see her next birthday.

"I'm sorry, darlin'," Jax smiled, not looking the least bit apologetic, as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him. "But I have a gift for you that needs unwrapping." Jolene yelped as he scooped her up and tossed her onto the bed.

"Damnit, Jax!" She laughed as he straddled her to keep her from escaping as he ripped off his cut and pulled off his flannel shirt.

Suddenly, Jolene stopped struggling. "Shit, happy birthday to me." She nearly whispered as her eyes raked over his chiseled torso. He was so beautiful, she was powerless. There was absolutely nothing new there. She wanted to touch him and taste him. She wanted him inside her, filling the void she felt whenever they were apart. Biting her lip, Jolene grabbed the waistband of his jeans and pulled him towards her until he let himself fall forward onto his arms, one on each side of her head. "I'm going to hate you so much after we're done." She was running her newly-manicured nails over his sides, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

"No you won't." He gave her a cocky half grin before swooping in and enveloping her mouth with his, their tongues fighting against each other for control. Helping him pull her strapless bra down around her waist, Jolene moaned as he found her soft, round breast and pinched her nipple teasingly as she gave in to him and let him take charge. She had gone through all the trouble of getting ready for him anyway, she reasoned with herself as she vaguely realized she would have to start the process all over again.

Her hands in his hair, Jolene gently pulled his head back, her teeth tugging on his bottom lip as he growled. "You know, last time we were here, we were busted big time."

"I remember." Jax gave her saucy grin. "You dirty girl, the thought of getting caught turns you on, doesn't it?" He teased.

"No!" Jolene quickly defended herself, but just as quickly changed her mind. "Maybe, but that's not why I brought it up, nasty! I just don't want to get caught today of all days. "

"It won't happen, Jo. Everyone's at the Clubhouse waitin' on you." Jax explained, his hand tangling itself in her curls. "Gemma sent me to come rush you along." He said and dipped his head to kiss her perfumed neck.

"Are you kidding?" Jolene laughed. "That's like putting a cat in a cage with a canary. What did she think would happen?"

"That I'd eat you." He snarled against her throat as she gasped, feeling Jax's hand slip into her underwear.

"Oh God, Jax!" Jolene moaned. "I hope that's not what she was thinking." She pulled Jax's mouth back to hers, her hips moving in a circular motion as he stroked her with his fingers. Jolene gasped, her breathing quickening and her eyes fluttering closed as she bit her bottom lip to keep herself from crying out.

"Look at me, darlin'." He whispered, coaxing Jolene to look him in the eye as she gave in to the convulsions that shook her body as she came against his hand. He loved the sounds she made as he took her to that place, knowing that they were made just for him. Bringing his hand to his mouth, Jax sucked her juices from his fingers as she watched him through half-hooded eyes. As he unbuckled and unzipped, pushing his jeans down to his ankles, Jax promised himself that as long as he had air in his lungs, no other man would ever hear his name fall from her lips like this. Tearing her G-string apart, Jax ripped it off her hips, leaving the garter belt in place. Kissing her hard and deep until she was almost whimpering, Jax forced her legs open and up around his waist as he pushed himself inside her. With her fluffy down comforter balled up in her fists, Jolene lifted her hips off the bed to meet his manic thrusting.

Suddenly, Jax was back on his knees and Jolene cried out as he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her towards him. Impaling her as deep has he could go, Jax grunted as he pounded into her over and over. With their eyes locked on each other, Jolene moaned as she pulled at her hardened nipples, letting herself go as Jax brought her to a shaking and violent release once again. She couldn't help but smile at the look of self-satisfaction on his face. It wasn't smug, just a genuine reflection of the pleasure he got out of making her cum so hard. Letting go of her hips, Jax held onto her arms and pulled her off the bed until she was straddling him. Coiling her arms around his neck as he buried his face in her hair, Jax winced in what seemed like pain as Jolene bounced on his dick.

"Jo," He was breathing heavily as his mind fought his body for control by forcing himself to think about truly disturbing things, like puppies on fire. When that didn't work, he tried picturing Bobby in his underwear, all in an effort to keep himself from cumming. "I didn't wrap, darlin'." Grabbing onto her grinding hips, Jax tried talking himself into pulling out, but couldn't because he didn't want to.

Jolene smiled as she held his face in her hands. She hadn't told him, hadn't thought to really, but Gemma had made sure she started birth control as soon as she had confirmation of their relationship. "It's okay, baby," She replied, panting. "I'm on the pill." Grateful that she had enough sense for the both of them, Jax groaned as he let himself cum for what seemed like an eternity.

"That was fuckin' close, Jolene." Out of breath, Jax smiled against her lips as she kissed his mouth hungrily. Jax always wrapped. He never got so lost in pussy that he would choose not to or he'd forget to or not care if he did so or not. Today, he'd been guilty of all of the above. Shit, Jolene was dangerous. He had been 30 seconds away from not giving a shit that they were unprotected. She had the ability to make him lose his damn mind.

She was clinging to him, kissing the side of his face and still grinding herself on his semi-hard cock. "I love you, Jax."

Grabbing a handful of hair, he pulled her head back, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Damn right you do." He ground out, his face deadly serious and her eyes wide. Silently, they stared at each other, Jolene wondering what had inspired his sudden possessiveness and loving it at the same time. "But I fuckin' love you more, darlin'." He said, his face softening with his beautiful smile. He was kissing her again and Jolene was kissing him back, her arms practically wrapped around his head.

Barely aware of their surroundings, the alarm on Jolene's cell phone had been chiming for the past five minutes, a reminder to herself that she was 15 minutes away from being fashionably late to her own party. Realizing what was making that noise she was trying to ignore, Jolene pulled away. "I wanna die in your arms, Jax. I really do, and if I don't get my ass dressed and over to the Clubhouse, that is most likely what will happen if Gemma shows up looking for us." She smiled, running her hands through his hair.

"I have a confession to make, darlin'," Jax started with no intention of letting her go just yet. Jolene quirked an eyebrow at him. "Gemma didn't send me. I snuck over here."

"Jax! She didn't send you?" Jolene was incredulous as Jax shook his head without remorse. She pushed against him, trying to free herself from his death grip. "I hate you! Lemme go!"

"Really? You were loving me just a second ago, wanting to die in my arms, darlin'." Jax laughed, pinning her arms to her side. "It's not my fault that ass in a G-string had other plans in store for me, especially when I came over here with my heart on my sleeve."

Jolene stopped struggling and narrowed her eyes at him, now curious. "What does that mean?" Laying her down against the half dozen pillows on her bed, Jolene watched cautiously, afraid he was just waiting for her to put her guard down before launching another sneak attack. Although the thought was currently dancing across his mind as his eyes scanned over her disheveled half-nakedness, Jax reached for his jeans instead and pulled out a black velvet box with a red ribbon from one of the pockets.

"I wasn't lying when I said I had a gift for you to unwrap." He handed her the box and lay next to her on the pillows. Jolene turned towards him, her eyes already glistening with tears. Jax smiled, brushing away the few that managed to escape. "You have to open it first, darlin', _before_ you start crying. If that isn't a rule, it should be cuz you might end up hating it."

Jolene was shaking her head. "That's not possible." She said adamantly. Snaking her hand around his neck, she pulled Jax towards her for a kiss.

"Open it." Jax commanded, her lips still pressed against his. Whose stupid idea had it been to have a party tonight anyway? I'm right where I want to be at this very moment, he thought as he watched her slowly pull the ribbon off the box.

Jolene's eyes widened as she opened the box. Lying on a cushion of red velvet was an intricate platinum locket necklace. The pale green heart-shaped stone in the center of the round locket sparkled as Jolene gingerly ran her finger over it.

"I've never seen one before, but that's a green diamond." Jax started, a little nervous that he was unable to gauge her reaction yet as he searched her face. "The whole piece is custom-made, darlin' and I wanted a stone that matched your eyes perfectly, but emeralds were just too dark. Green diamonds are rare and beautiful, just like you."

Jolene was now looking at him, her eyes wide. "You had this made for me?" She asked softly.

Jax nodded slightly, a half smile on his face. "Yeah."

He had been holding onto the necklace, fighting the urge to give it to her before her birthday, since he had returned from his third run to Reno. Having abstained from partying with Antoine's girls, Jax had gotten to know the pimp well over their long talks while Tig and Chibs partook of his hospitality. Jax had mentioned that his girl had a special birthday coming up, and noticing his change in demeanor when he spoke about her, Antoine suggested getting her something equally as special for a gift. Women loved jewelry, he had assured Jax, but something made especially for them would get a man blow jobs on command for a long, long time. Antoine had his own personal jeweler who custom made all his pieces and he offered to make the introduction. Jax had been reluctant at first because Jolene wasn't flashy or trashy and he loved that about her.

Not expecting the maker of all the bling Antoine and his crew wore to be a matronly older woman named Marguerite, Jax sat with her to see what she could come up with. After he had described Jolene at length, including his feelings for her, Marguerite had come up with an original sketch for the piece she would eventually end up making. Finding a stone to match Jolene's eyes perfectly was a must and it had been difficult and expensive, but nothing compared to the wonderment he now saw in those gorgeous eyes. Jax had been afraid that a locket would be too sentimental or cutesy, so he had Marguerite customize it even further, putting his outlaw stamp on it.

"It opens, too." Jax took the locket out of the box for Jolene when it seemed like she was frozen in time. Popping it open, he handed it back to her. Tearing her eyes away from Jax, Jolene looked at what was inside as a smile spread itself across her face. Their mug shots, one on each side, had been etched into the locket itself in a sepia tone. Closing it in order to open it herself, Jolene caught a glimpse of the inscription on the back, "Forever yours, Jackson."

Her hand flying to her mouth barely kept the sob from escaping. Aw, shit! Now she was going to cry for real. Jax grabbed her face and brought his mouth to hers in an effort to keep that from happening. Before one could stop the other, Jax was rolling onto her again and Jolene was letting him in, the locket along with a handful of his hair clenched in her hand, and the party at the Clubhouse forgotten, as they rocked back and forth.

* * *

Jolene almost managed to make it to T-M before her phone started ringing. Throwing her phone on speaker as she maneuvered her car behind Jax's bike, Gemma was practically yelling at her before she had the chance to say "hello."

" _Where the hell are you, Jolene?" Gemma barked at her._

"I am literally pulling into the lot as we speak." Jolene replied as she turned into the gate. To be fair, Gemma had every right to be angry as it was already well into night. The parking lot was, as usual, crowded with the bikes of other charter members as well as the regular hang-arounds that wouldn't miss an opening of a door at the Clubhouse. Jolene was sure she didn't know half the people she's already seen partying and have a great time even before parking her car. Those that mattered, however, were currently congregated on or around the picnic table waiting for her to arrive, including Gemma, who was glaring in her general direction with her hand on her hip.

" _Were you with Jax?" Gemma asked aggravated, even though seeing her son pull into the lot ahead of Jolene was all the confirmation she needed. "I should've known! What is wrong with you two? You should really pace yourselves cuz after tonight, you're gonna get sick and tired of each other real quick if you don't." She said before hanging up._

That was never going to happen, Jolene smiled to herself as she caught a glimpse of Jax's necklace around her neck in the rearview mirror. Parking as close to the Clubhouse as possible, Jolene exited her car and felt herself blush from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes as a chorus of cheers and catcalls erupted, starting at the picnic table and quickly spreading across the lot. Thanks to Jax, she wasn't as put together as she had planned, but she still managed to rock her black jersey mini-dress with the cutout shoulders, batwing sleeves, and tight ruched skirt that clung to her ass.

"You wore them!" Luann exclaimed as she practically ran to her, referring to the Fendi platform booties that she had bought as a birthday gift for Jolene. "Oh my God! You look gorgeous!" Luann hugged her tightly.

"Luann, these are really over the top," Jolene started, feeling a little guilty she was wearing twelve hundred dollar shoes to walk on the grease-stained black top of T-M's parking lot. "But I love them!"

Gemma was approaching Jolene with her arms crossed over her chest and a sour look on her face. "Jesus Christ, Jolene," She chastised before letting herself smile. "You are stunning." She grabbed Jolene and gave her a tight hug. Pulling away, Gemma caught sight of the locket around her neck. With a raised eyebrow, she wordlessly picked it up, weighing it in her hand before flipping it over. Seeing the inscription, Gemma's heart tightened in her chest. Her son. The outlaw biker with the heart of a poet. God love him.

"Now you see why I'm late?" Jolene was smiling like a mental patient.

Gemma nodded, her lips puckered. "Yeah, I guess I have to give you a pass being that your old man is starting the branding process." She wrapped her arm around Jolene's shoulders and led her towards the Clubhouse.

"Hey, who's this broad? And where the hell is my daughter?" Clay kidded, smiling behind the cigar clenched between his teeth as he approached Jolene. Grabbing her from Gemma, Clay enveloped her in a bear hug. Even in four inch platform heels, Jolene's father dwarfed her until she all but disappeared in his arms. "Happy birthday, kid." He kissed her on the top of her head.

Clay had barely let her go before she was swept into another bear hug by Big Otto, who practically lifted her off the ground. Just as Bobby was about to take over suffocating duties, Tig unceremoniously pushed him out of the way.

"She's legal now, right?" He asked, loud enough to be heard by Jax, who was approaching as he lit a cigarette. Tig smirked at a glaring Jax as he grabbed Jolene by the waist and pulled her into a hug. "If I was 20 years younger, your old man over there would have one hell of a fight on his hands." He whispered into her ear, his hands a little too low on her waist, before Jolene delicately extracted herself from his arms. Leave it to Tig to make a simple embrace feel like intercourse.

"Um, thanks." Jolene replied, knowing Tig had only two ways of looking at women. Very few, but Gemma in particular, he viewed as mother figures, with everyone else falling into the whore category. There was no gray area with Tig, but that's just how he was wired and Jolene took no offense, but judging by his flared nostrils and clenched jaw, it was clear that Jax had. Looking to avoid throwing more fuel on Jax's fire, Jolene steered clear of an approaching Kyle and fell into Bobby's arms.

"Save me, Uncle Elvis." She held onto him for dear life. "Don't let Kyle get to me. After Tig, I feel like I need a shower." She whispered.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, Kit. Watching you get manhandled is something I could've lived without. Some shit you just can't un-see." Bobby kidded, as he maneuvered Jolene around Kyle and over to where Gemma was standing with Jax and Opie.

"Hey, you bum," Jolene thumped Opie in the chest before he reached down and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and hug. "Donna here?"

"Nah," Opie shook his head sadly. "I wouldn't count on her showing up, Jo. Sorry."

Tig jumped onto the picnic table. "Now that the birthday bitch is here, who's a fuckin' hot piece of ass, by the way," He bellowed with a mischievous look in his eye directed at Jax. "Can we please get this party started!" He yelled as the crowd around them erupted and the music was turned up to full blast.

"He's just baiting you to play your hand before you're ready, brother." Opie whispered at his friend when he saw Jolene go pale underneath her make up as she waited for a reaction from Jax.

"It's working," Jax shook his head slightly, taking a final drag from his cigarette before tossing it across the yard and heading into the Clubhouse.

"Oh shit," Jolene turned to Gemma. "Is he pissed? I can't tell."

"Yeah," Gemma nodded solemnly. "He is."

Jolene started towards the Clubhouse, but Gemma pulled her back. "Wait here. He'll be back." She advised Jolene, a knowing grin playing on her lips.

Kyle was brooding as he watched Jolene now in deep conversation with Opie, Chibs, and Piney, his eyes dancing over her plump backside and long legs. Damn, if Jax really wasn't hitting that, Kyle thought as he gulped down his beer, he was a fuckin' idiot. She had managed to dodge him the two times he had approached to wish her a happy birthday. Something was up and he could feel the tension in the air. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, more like anticipatory and Kyle hated feeling out of the loop.

Jolene was about to take a second sip out of the blue plastic cup Piney had slipped her when Clay snatched it out of her hand from behind. "You're 18, not 21."

"Sorry, doll. You're legal to fuck, but ya can't drink." Tig laughed, slipping his arm around her shoulders as Clay, Opie, Chibs, and Piney glared at him. "What?" He asked, genuinely confused as Opie leaned forward and pushed his arm off of Jolene.

"Where the hell is Jax?" Clay asked impatiently before gulping the contents of Jolene's cup. Making a face as the tequila burned a trail down into his stomach, Clay continued, "He needs to put a stop to this shit already." Jolene had been officially stripped of her jailbait status not half an hour ago and already Clay had a long list of assholes he wanted to punch holes through.

Gemma quickly left the group of croweaters she was currently giving orders to by the barbeque grill when she saw Jax exit the Clubhouse with two gift bags in hand. Luann, seeing Gemma whiz by, quickly jumped out of Big Otto's lap and fell into step behind her. Jolene's eyes brightened the moment she saw him approach, grateful that he no longer looked angry, but instead was flashing her with his gorgeous smile as they made eye contact. Almost like the parting of the Red Sea, Jax's brothers cleared a path to her, but remained rooted in a semi-circle around them like a coffee klatch of gossiping old biddies.

"Happy birthday, darling,'" Jax started, handing her the smaller of the two bags.

"What's this? You already gave me my present." Jolene said, her hand on the locket around her neck.

"These bags are part two of a three part gift." Jax explained, trying really hard to ignore some of the goofy grins surrounding them. "Part three comes later tonight, when we're alone." He winked at her, unable to keep himself from licking his lips.

"Hey, I'm standing right here." Clay protested good-naturedly, but still in desperate need of something more to drink.

Sensing that something was going on, those closest to the Clubhouse, including Kyle, stopped what they were doing and turned to face SAMCRO's tight inner circle as now Bobby and Big Otto joined in.

Reaching into the bag, Jolene smiled as her hand came into contact with something hard and smooth. Knocking on it with her knuckles, Jolene looked up at Jax as she pulled it out of the bag. "My own helmet!"

"Yeah, make sure you use it while you drive, too." Clay kidded, getting a laugh out of everyone, except Jolene who was giving him Popeye's one-eyed glare.

"Thank you, Jax," Jolene smiled at him. She dropped the helmet back into the bag and handed it off to Gemma. "But I want to know what's in the big bag."

"Just like a broad, always lookin' for a bigger package." Piney joked.

"I'm gonna pretend I don't even know what that means." Jolene smiled. Her eyes locked with Jax's. If she didn't know better, she'd say he was looking a little nervous.

Jax ran his hand over the hair on his chin, biting his lip as he collected his thoughts before speaking. "That necklace you're wearing means something, Jolene. It means something special to both of us." He started. "But what's in this bag means a helluva lot more to a lot of people, darlin'. Not only am I announcing my love and respect for you with what's in this bag, I'm also asking my brothers to extend to you the pledge they made to me when I was patched. By giving you this, I'm asking them to protect and defend you as faithfully and ferociously as they would me," He said, almost reverently. "And my bike, of course." He teased. Jolene swiped away at her tears as her heart was trying to pound its way out of her chest.

"Give it to her already." Bobby said impatiently, with Gemma and Luann seconding that motion.

Jax handed the bag over to Jolene, her hands now trembling uncontrollably, more so than when he had given her the locket. Reaching in, past the purple tissue paper, Jolene felt the suppleness of calfskin leather. Closing her eyes, Jolene knew what it was even before she pulled the black leather vest out of the bag. It had a stand up collar, full front zipper with 5 zippered pockets, adjustable side laces, and a "Property of Jax Teller" patch on the back.

"Holy shit." Jolene sighed, hugging the vest to her chest. Clay stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder.

"By accepting and wearing that back patch, Jolene, you're promising to love your old man, respect the Club, and to submit to their authority." Clay explained. "You ready for that kind of commitment?"

Turning to Jax with a big grin, Jolene ran into his arms, their mouths slamming together as Jax's hands left no doubt as to who she belonged to as they traveled past her waist and onto her ass, pulling her as close to his body as possible.

"I take it that's a yes." Clay said, not sure he was ready to handle his little girl being someone's old lady.

"Look at it this way, brother," Bobby consoled Clay, patting him on the shoulder. "Now she's Jax's headache." He teased.

* * *

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that every single croweater and sweetbutt on the lot had just had her heart ripped to shreds. With a crazy, bat-wielding she-devil for an old lady, Jax Teller was officially off-limits. That is, unless he made the first move, of course, but judging by the way he was openly looking at Jolene now—infatuated awe was a good way to describe it—the only one he'd be moving on was his old lady. Lucky bitch!

The members of the Club's pussy brigade weren't the only ones feeling the sting of Jax's very public declaration. Kyle felt like he'd just been donkey punched. From the looks of it, not only had he been lumped into the same category as a pass-around, but even worse, he had been as clueless as Teller's own Prospect. Everyone at the fuckin' table plus a couple of old ladies had known about Jax and Jolene. The fact that he had been purposefully left out was painfully obvious. In hindsight, Kyle realized that Clay had sided with Jax when he had looked him straight in the eye and warned him against rumor-mongering. Jax had just sealed his destiny within the Club's ranks by branding Jolene his old lady and the bitch wasn't even out of high school yet, but somehow Kyle was the bad guy. That almost-crippled bastard had just handed Teller the keys to his kingdom more than likely because that's what Jolene wanted. Everyone knew how Clay felt about his kid. Kyle couldn't help but wonder if those feelings were clouding Clay's judgment. Clay would do anything to keep his kid happy and Kyle had the sinking feeling that being treated no better than an outsider was just the first sign that his days at the table were numbered. If Teller wanted him gone, with Princess Morrow backing him up, Kyle was as good as gone.

It was sickening to see, Kyle thought. Now that it was out, Jax could barely keep his hands off Jolene. Every time he looked their way, either Jolene was wrapped in Jax's arms, sitting on his lap, or he had her pinned to the wall in some darkened corner of the Clubhouse. How they had ever managed to keep their shit on the down low was beyond him.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." Bobby sneered as he approached Kyle. Instead of enjoying the party, Kyle had spent half the night watching Jax and Jolene Bobby noted distastefully. He didn't like it.

Kyle tore his eyes away from SAMCRO's new golden couple. "This doesn't bother you at all? She's your goddaughter."

Bobby shook his head. "And Jax is my brother. If anyone can take care of my girl, make her happy, that'll be Jax."

Kyle threw his head back and laughed sarcastically. "You really believe that? How long before Jax is back chasing tail, right under her nose, too? Two weeks? A month?"

Bobby shrugged his shoulders. "Tonight? Tomorrow? Maybe never, brother. That patch that she's so proudly wearing right now, says a lot about Jax's state of mind. He loves her. He takes that pledge to protect and defend her as serious, if not more so, as we all did tonight."

Kyle looked at Bobby with a raised eyebrow. I didn't make any goddamn pledge, he said to himself. "It's a brilliant move on his part, I have to give him that much." Kyle started.

"What the fuck you talkin' about?" Bobby asked, clearly starting to get annoyed.

"Getting his hooks into the SAMCRO Princess now, securing his spot at the head of that table when Clay can't ride no more."

Now it was Bobby's turn to laugh. "You think his whole relationship with Jolene is some slick political maneuver on Jax's part?"

"Don't you?" Kyle asked sarcastically. "He made sure nobody got to her first. He cut the fuckin' line even before the ride was open for business, brother."

"You're insane." Bobby stated emphatically. "You honestly believe that if it hadn't been Jax, it would've been anyone, maybe even you?" He asked bewildered as Kyle nodded. "Let me tell you something. I've known those two kids almost their whole lives. It was only ever going to be Jax. Jolene decided he belonged to her when she was 10 years old. Told me so herself that one day she'd be wearing his patch. Knowing Jax, yeah, it may have been all about the pussy in the beginning, but his feelings for her hit him like a freight train that he didn't see coming. Out of all his brothers, you know him the least, so don't tell me this was some evil plot of his to secure the presidency for himself. One, that's not how it works because we're a democratic organization. Two, Jax doesn't think that way. It's not in his DNA. He doesn't need Jolene to move up in the MC. He's loyal to the extreme, book smart, and not afraid to get fuckin' bloody when necessary. If it's meant to be, he'll get to the head of the table all on his own, brother. He needs Jolene cuz he loves her and at the end of the day he wants what we all want and that's the love of a good woman to keep him sane. My advice to you: watch your mouth because he's already got you in line for the beating of a lifetime. You went behind his back and could've gotten him killed. If you don't want that beating to have fatal consequences, you better keep your theories regarding his 'political aspirations' to yourself. You hurt his old lady with this bullshit, you're as good as dead." With that, Bobby walked away disgusted and leaving Kyle to end the night in his usual fashion, alone and drunk.

* * *

Jolene was standing by the table behind the barbeque staring daggers into the back of the head of the croweater manning the grill as she flipped and re-flipped the steak Jolene was waiting for. God help the red-headed whore named Gigi if she handed her a well-done steak. Jolene fought the urge to toss the skank onto the grill and instead occupied herself gathering a plate, napkins, utensils, and finally a bottle of beer.

"What are you doing, sweetie?" Luann asked as she and Gemma approached her. "It's your party. Why don't you get one of the croweaters to do that for you?"

"Uh, no," Jolene replied, plate in one hand, other hand on her hip. "This is for Jax. I think I can handle fixing him a plate and getting him a beer."

"Of course you can, but why would you though? At home, knock yourself out, but at the Clubhouse, I think your time would be better spent at your old man's side, letting those bitches know that you've got what matters covered." Gemma explained.

"Yeah, and that would be his cock with your hand." Luann chimed in. "As his old lady, keeping his other appetite well-fed should be your top priority right now. You need to put out the vibe that he is being more than well taken care of in that department."

"Not that it's anybody's business," Jolene started. "But I think it should be quite clear that we're more than good in that department, without me having to lead Jax around by his penis."

Gemma laughed heartily while Luann looked at her like she was about to give Jolene her condolences. "You stick with that attitude and things around here are about to get really real for you, really fast." Gemma said.

"What does that mean?" Jolene quirked an eyebrow. Either Gemma was working real hard to scare the shit out of her, or she was about to get a crash course in Old Ladies 101: The SAMCRO Edition.

"It means you've been protected all this time because you're Clay's kid, the SAMCRO Princess, but you're Jax Teller's old lady now. Even though that commands a lot of respect, these bitches, with their bullshit niceties, will smile to your face while jerking your old man off behind your back." Gemma explained. "These little pieces of shit will always be looking for the chance to boot your ass off the back of his bike and they play dirty. All bet's are off, sweetheart, so you're gonna have to amp your game up and play just a little dirtier."

"Jolene, you know that being someone's old lady means you're his pussy and his pussy only," Luann explained. "But that doesn't mean you're his only pussy, not by a long shot."

"She's not naïve. At least I hope she's not because she's fucked if she is." Gemma directed at Luann. "Jolene, you know what goes on in this Clubhouse. You've seen it with your own eyes. An unattached woman within these four walls is what? A pass-around, someone to open beers and suck dick. Any dick, even those with old ladies. Shit only gets worse on runs, but at least what happens on a run, stays on a run. You only need to concern yourself with what happens when he's away if some out-of-town tart he banged shows up on your doorstep. Then you beat the stank off of her. Your main concern right now should be the local whores. You need to educate or they will start lining up again, thinking Jax is a free dick."

"Tonight was perfect, though, don't you think?" Luann asked Gemma. "Jax came right out, claimed her as his old lady. No bitch here tonight can play dumb later and say she had no clue. So the first croweater or sweetbutt you see step out of line with your man, do not hesitate to fuck her up. It's your right as his old lady. It's expected, even by Jax."

"But just remember, this is their Clubhouse. Whatever you do to keep Jax in line behind close doors won't float here. Disrespect a patch in front of his brothers and he is well within his rights to smack the shit out of you." Jolene was looking at Gemma like she'd just kicked a puppy. "Don't look at me like that. You know it's true."

"I've never seen a member of this Club hit a woman." Jolene said vehemently.

"Doesn't mean it's never happened and trust me, sweetheart, it's happened to the best of us." Gemma replied. "And it doesn't matter who your father is anymore. You don't get to go crying to daddy when things get rough. You belong to your old man now. Your job is to keep him and only him happy. You feed his mind, body, and soul. You take care of all his needs, emotional and physical. Patch him up when he needs it, fuck him when he wants it, you keep his counsel and let him cry on your shoulder, but most important, you watch his back."

"It's really simple, Jolene. Just remember to be a whore in the bedroom and an angel everywhere else, especially in the Clubhouse." Luann added.

Jolene was dumbfounded. She looked from Gemma to Luann and back to Gemma. These two were pulling her leg. She's known these women almost her whole life. Neither one toed the old lady line they were drawing for her in the sand. Jolene had never seen her father or Big Otto treat either one with anything but much love and respect. The croweaters and sweetbutts she could handle. It was the threat of socially acceptable physical violence directed at her that had her a little queasy.

They were generalizing, they had to be. Jax wasn't like that, was he? Jolene thought she knew the answer, but then she remembered that night in Oakland. Jax had been upset with her and had manhandled her enough to hurt her arm. He hadn't meant to, but the look in his eyes had warned her that it could get a lot worse. Then there was the night he had threatened to tear Juice apart all because he had offered to give her a ride home.

"She looks confused, Gem." Luann said, patting Jolene's shoulder as if she were a lost child.

"I'm not confused. Maybe a little nervous, but not confused." Jolene started.

"There's nothing to be nervous or confused about. You love Jax, he loves you. Everything else is gonna fall into place." Gemma stated. "Just remember the golden rule, sweetheart: You wanna be an old lady, then you do as you're told and you'll be fine."

* * *

The party was still in full swing, with a couple of Luann's girls gyrating to the music on the stripper pole and sweetbutt body shots being offered at the bar, but Jax had been looking for an excuse to steal Jolene away from her party ever since she had accepted his patch earlier tonight. Judging by the work she was doing to get him ready by kissing his neck as she ground her ass on his lap, he wasn't the only one eager to move their party to a more private location. Burying his hands in her hair, Jax pulled her mouth to his. He could taste the tequila she'd been drinking as he kissed her. Jax smiled as she drunkenly groped him underneath his cut and shirt. Saying she was tipsy was putting it mildly and if she passed out on him tonight, Jax as going to switch Piney's oxygen tank with nitrous oxide.

"Ready to call it a night?" He wasn't really giving her an option as her fingers grazed the hair by the waistband of his jeans.

"Mmmhmm," Jolene nodded, her smile a borderline leer. "I'm not gonna lie to you, Jax. I'm a little horny." She said apologetically as she searched for and finally made contact with that part of him currently poking her backside.

"Don't say it like it's a bad thing, darlin'." Jax laughed, grabbing her hand and gently slapping her ass in order to nudge her off his lap and moving towards the rooms in the back.

"Sorry to interrupt, luvvie," Chibs said to Jolene before she could get up as he approached the couch. "But I have to steal ya ol' man away. We're at the table in five."

Jax looked up at Chibs like he'd just kicked him in the balls as he felt Jolene deflate in his arms, but something was up if it was important enough for Clay to call Church during Jolene's party. Chibs nodded. "Seems Clay got word that some friends are coming to town, by way of Dungloe."

Jax's eyes brightened. This could only mean one thing: SAMCRO's Irish pipeline was once again open for business. He grabbed Jolene's face with one hand and kissed her hard. "I'm sorry, darlin', but this big." He said as Jolene searched his face, worry etched into her brow. "It's a good thing, Jo." He smiled, answering her unspoken question. "I'll tell you more later, but you have to promise you'll be wearing just the locket and vest while you wait for me in my dorm, deal?"

Relieved, Jolene grabbed him by two handfuls of hair and kissed him, smiling as Jax's hand automatically found and squeezed her breast, before jumping off of his lap. Dropping back onto the couch, Jolene watched as Jax made his way into the Chapel behind Chibs, followed by the rest of his brothers as they trickled in one by one, each one tossing their pre-pay into the cigar box on the table right outside the door.

Jolene picked up her hair with one hand while she fanned herself with the other. Shit, she was hot! Jax and tequila were proving to be a lethal combo for her. She hadn't meant to drink so much, especially after getting busted by her father earlier, but after the old lady "pep talk" by Gemma and Luann, she needed to knock back a few. Jolene had no reservations when it came to the love she had for Jax. That was an unwavering constant, something that would never change. It had just been a lot to process while still feeling the high that Jax's declaration had produced. Those two tag-teaming buzzkills meant well, but now she was a liquored-up hot mess. Tonight would be her first overnight with Jax and, even though she was looking forward to waking up in his arms in the morning, she did not want to waste their first night together sleeping off a drinking binge. Feeling her eyelids making their way south, Jolene practically jumped up from the couch. She needed coffee.

As Jolene made her way across the Clubhouse towards the kitchen, she was acutely aware of the change in demeanor towards her by every woman who was not already attached to a Son. Before tonight, she went barely noticed or acknowledged by the croweaters and sweetbutts. Apparently, as far as they had been concerned, Jolene hadn't posed much of a threat when it came to Jax. Ha! Now, they were going out of their way to treat her with respect, but Jolene had done enough people watching in this very same Clubhouse to know thinly veiled contempt when she saw it.

"They're real." A sweetbutt she didn't recognize was insisting as Jolene entered the kitchen. With her back to the door, she was squatting in front of one of the cabinets re-arranging pots and lids as the infamous Gigi was putting on a fresh pot of coffee.

"If those tits are real, I'll eat my damn thong." Gigi replied. "And really, have you ever seen anyone with hair that color? I have and it usually comes from a bottle."

"You just don't like her." The sweetbutt was saying. "I think she's gorgeous. Is it any wonder he hasn't left her side all night? Even with that back patch, I've seen him having to stare down a couple hang-arounds that should know better than to look at her like that."

"From what I hear, if she's anything like her mother, her looks aren't what's keeping Jax wrapped around her finger." Gigi turned to the side, her hand on her bare waist, just a tad too late to see Jolene leaning against the doorjamb. The already fair-skinned redhead paled even further as she gasped and caught herself just in time before her knees buckled. Turning towards the door, the sweetbutt's eyes widened and she jumped to her feet.

Jolene sauntered over to Gigi and grabbing her hands, Jolene put them against her breasts, moving them up and down for her. "See, they're real." Jolene's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Everything I'm working with is God-given, honey."

Gigi swallowed hard. "I'm sorry," She apologized meekly, her eyes downcast.

Dropping Gigi's hands, Jolene shrugged her shoulders. "I don't give a fuck what you have to say about my mother. She's a piece of shit and you probably have more in common with her than I do anyway. I don't give a fuck about what you have to say. Period. But let's be clear on the one thing that really does matter to me." Jolene turned around and pointed to the patch on her back. "In case you can't read, it says 'Property of Jax Teller,' which translates into 'I will cut a bitch'." Jolene turned to face Gigi again. "We clear?"

Gigi nodded, her over-made up eyes wide.

"Good," Jolene smiled. "And don't look so down, sweetie. Assholes that fuck with me don't usually get a warning first."

"Jolene!" Came the surprised female voice at the kitchen door. Jolene spun around, the scowl falling from her face as she saw Donna standing there looking fresh and pretty in a royal blue maxi dress and strappy sandals. Jolene quickly crossed the room and hugged her best friend. Donna hugged her back, probably not understanding how incredibly happy it made Jolene to see her here on a night like tonight.

"Can you leave us alone, please?" Jolene threw over her shoulder at Gigi and the sweetbutt, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Donna watched, her mouth open and her brow furrowed as both girls nearly fell over each other to do as they were told. "What was that all about? And what the hell are you wearing? Property of Jax Teller? Are you serious?"

"Never mind that now, I'm just so glad you're here. Does this mean you forgive me?" Jolene asked hopefully. She didn't have many, but now more than ever she needed to keep her true friends close.

Donna smiled apologetically. "You're my girl, Jo. I have to keep you. That jackass, no matter how I twist and turn it around I love him, so I guess I'm stuck with him, too." Donna replied, her eyes glistening. "But he's not getting off easy. I'm gonna make Ope sweat a little before I give in. You and Jax are new, so you may not yet know the joys of make up sex."

Jolene bit her lip as she looked at Donna with a raised eyebrow. Remembering the night Jax had threatened to rip Juice to pieces, Jolene was sure that angry sex beat make up sex hands down. "Oh, D, we have so much catching up to do." Jolene smiled at her knowingly.

"Speaking of which, I have to ask again, what the hell are you wearing on your back? Is that some kind of joke?" Donna asked, perplexed.

Jolene was shaking her head. "No, D, this is some really serious shit. This means that not only does he love me, but that he would die to protect me."

"Couldn't he say all that with a ring?" Donna questioned seriously.

"Or a piece of jewelry?" Jolene asked, showing Donna the locket.

Donna eyes widened as she held it in her hand. "It's beautiful, Jolene." She whispered almost reverently. "This is more like it, but being branded a piece of property is a little archaic, don't you think?"

Jolene shook her head. Donna had a lot to learn. "Women don't get patched into MCs, D. This is the highest honor a woman could ever hope to get from her old man. The message is two-fold. I belong to him, but he belongs to me, too."

"I haven't even seen the two of you together yet." Donna said, amazed that her friend had managed to keep being with the man of her dreams a secret. "Are you happy?"

"You have no idea." Jolene was beaming.

Donna grabbed Jolene and hugged her tightly. "I'm so happy for you, Jo. Finally, Jax Teller and Jolene Morrow." She pulled away. "What was it like, your first time?" Donna nearly whispered. Her friend had been the only one to know that Jolene had still been a virgin.

"Aside from the gut-wrenching pain? Thanks for the warning, by the way." Jolene sneered before her bright eyes softened at the memory. "It felt like we had had that dance before, you know what I mean. It was more romantic and tender than I expected it to be, especially since he didn't know until almost the last possible moment that he was breaking me in."

"Shit, Jolene, you should've said something beforehand." Donna chastised.

"And give him a chance to think the situation over? Hell's no! I got him to the point where all the blood had rushed out of one head and into the other. I had to strike while that big, thick iron was hot, girl!" Jolene emphasized the words "big" and "thick" before she and Donna burst out laughing.

"Oh my God!" Donna gasped, her eyes wide, before collapsing against Jolene again in a fit of girlish giggles.

"Ah, shit!" Jax started as he and Opie entered the kitchen. "Nothing reeks of trouble like two chicks whispering and laughing."

Pulling away from each other, Jolene and Donna turned to face their men with hands on their hips. "I'll never be able to look at him the same way again." Donna said to Jolene, trying to stifle a grin.

"Well, just get that visual out of your head cuz he's mine." Jolene laughed before crossing the room and into Jax's arms.

Holding her by the waist against his body, Jax looked at Jolene with a raised eyebrow. "Do I even ask?"

Jolene shook her head. "No, you don't."

Donna crossed her arms and leaned against the counter, a cheesy grin threatening to split her face wide open. "I always thought you two would make a ridiculously gorgeous, but awesome couple."

Jax nudged his head towards his friend. "What about you and Ope?"

With wide, doe-eyed innocence, Donna crossed the room, nearly brushing against Opie, but missing by a hair. "Me and who?" She asked as she left the kitchen.

"Shit, bro, you're fucked." Jax teased.

"Jo," Opie started, running his hand through his hair, which thankfully was looking somewhat normal again. "I'm sure she told you everything. How the hell do I fix this?"

"You go after her," Jolene replied adamantly. "She's just as miserable and mopey as you are because she loves you, so just go."

"Yeah, Ope," Jax chimed in. "Your girl is roaming around the Clubhouse alone with Tig on the loose. You don't want her scarred for life, you go after her now."

The thought of Tig anywhere near his girl spurring him into action, Opie left the kitchen hot on Donna's heels.

"You're sure you didn't just send him out to a slow, but extremely painful and public death?" Jax asked, half grinning.

"Nah," Jolene shook her head. "She was just hurt that he'd been keeping the true nature of the MC from her."

"Some times ignorance is bliss, don't you think?" He questioned, feeling his brother's pain as he had been in the same situation with Tara.

"No." Jolene replied quickly.

"There are two types of old ladies, Jo. The ones that know everything or the ones that know nothing. Some times I think that the ones who know nothing are the happiest."

"Are they really, Jax? Maybe the dumb-as-shit ones are happiest being ignorant, but having grown up in this Clubhouse, there's only one way for me to go." Jolene replied, somehow suspecting they were no longer talking about Donna.

"Full disclosure?" Jax asked, searching her face.

"Absolutely." Jolene replied firmly.

"Ok," Jax acknowledged a glint of mischief in his clear blue eyes. "But my Club, my rules."

Jolene's back automatically stiffened.

"Full disclosure only happens when you're completely naked." Jax managed to keep a straight face.

"That's so not fair!" Jolene couldn't muster enough indignation to keep herself from laughing. "That's not always possible."

"Where there's a will, there's a way, darlin'." Jax shrugged his shoulders. "Besides, it's a win-win for both of us."

Shaking her head, Jolene gave in. "Okay. Your Club, your rules. You wanna pinky swear, too?"

"Nope," Jax smiled. "But I'm ready to start disclosing." He pulled her hips flush with his, giving her a hint of just how ready he was.


	10. Interstate Love Song

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

Even for late August, it was an unusually warm day in Northern California. Jolene had her windows down and STP blaring on the radio as she barreled down the I-22 from Stockton. Usually, depending on traffic conditions, the drive to and from CSU-Stan took about 30-40 minutes. Today, surprising even herself, Jolene had managed to make it almost all the way to the Interchange leading to Charming in about 20. Lately, giving in to Jax's nagging, Jolene had managed to tone down her driving, with her speed usually hovering around 75 on the highway. Considering the circumstances, all bets were off today. Jolene checked her speedometer and cringed as she eased off the gas just a little. Yikes, she was doing 90. Glancing at the Victoria's Secret bag nestled on the passenger seat next to her, Jolene noted there was no point in rushing home if she wasn't going to get there in one piece.

The last two months since Jolene's 18th birthday had gone by in a blur. In spite of all the bullshit she had dealt with in the last two years, Jolene had managed to graduate in the top 5% of her class at Excelsior Prep in Charming. With less than two weeks of down time between the end of high school and the start of her early-admission freshman year, Jax had tried convincing her to delay starting school until the Fall. Although in hindsight he had been right about Jolene taking on too much, too soon when it came to college, she felt like she had something to prove to ghosts like McAllister, who doubted that Jolene would ever do more with her life than shuffle papers around T-M's office. The eight-week accelerated semester had almost killed her, but Jolene had just taken the last final of her summer session courses, which left her with a whole ten days off before she returned to school after Labor Day. Yay!

Shit, she really should have taken the summer off, Jolene thought to herself as she realized that lately, no matter how hard they tried, she never seemed to be able to connect with her old man. Being alone in the same room together, at the same time for any extended period of time was proving harder now than when they were hiding the fact that they were together. That lack of quality time together had forced them to start meeting up at the streams again, if only to get away from the constant drain at the Clubhouse on their precious alone-time. Jolene had practically floated on cloud nine as she headed towards her student adviser's office earlier this afternoon, preoccupied with her mental checklist of what she had left to do and pack for her Tahoe getaway with Jax. They had planned on leaving as soon as possible today. It was only a long weekend away, but they were determined to get some uninterrupted, adult time together, even if it killed them. That was the plan, until Jax called on her pre-pay and shot her happy little bubble out of the sky with a grenade launcher.

Ditching her pre-scheduled meeting with the student adviser, Jolene made a dash for her car as Jax explained that the Club needed to kill two birds with one stone. They were doing a protection run for Unser Trucking into Nevada, on their way to Indian Hills on a four-day run that Jax had hoped he could pass on. Unfortunately, with at least four other charters also heading to Indian Hills for what was being billed as an epic fight night, Clay insisted that no one was exempt from going. The entire mother charter, including its Prospect, was expected to make its presence known at the Devil's Tribe-sponsored event and they were hitting the road first thing tomorrow morning. With her plans for a long weekend suddenly reduced to less than 18 hours to spend with her old man, was it any wonder she was speeding?

Jolene was almost at the home stretch, when the blaring of a siren brought her back to the reality of the fact that she was pushing over 90 again.

"Shit! Fuck! Shit! Shit! Fuck!" Jolene banged her fist on the steering wheel as she slowed down and pulled over onto the shoulder. Coming to a complete stop, she flipped off the radio and whipped off her sunglasses as she watched the hunter green Jeep Wrangler pull up behind her. Recognizing the Charming P.D. shield emblazoned on the driver's side door as it opened, Jolene crossed her fingers. "Please let it be the Chief, please, please, please. Oh, fuck!" She groaned as a tall and muscular officer at least 30 years younger than Chief Unser stepped out of the Jeep and started walking towards the Mustang.

Nice, Jolene smiled to herself, throwing her shoulders back. "Ok, this might be alright," She said to herself as she readjusted her v-neck tee, pulling it down so that her cleavage was ever-so-slightly exposed. Jax was not her dad and he would not hesitate to take her car away if she got a ticket for ripping through the outskirts of Charming at almost 25 miles over the speed limit. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

Watching the deputy saunter towards her car as he adjusted his campaign hat atop his head, Jolene suddenly realized he looked familiar.

"License and registration, please." The Deputy requested as he stopped at the driver's side door, his hands resting on either side of the buckle on his holster around his slim waist.

Jolene pulled her license from her wallet and the registration out of the glove box. Turning slightly in her seat, she looked up at the officer. He seemed momentarily taken aback as her bright green eyes connected with his ice blue ones.

She looked at his name tag and smiled. "Hale, as in David Hale?" Jolene asked, handing him her documents.

"Do we know each other?" Hale smiled back, as he gave her an appreciative once-over. He would certainly remember meeting her before, he thought.

Jolene pointed to her license in his hand. "You tell me."

Reading her name and glancing at the picture on the license, Hale chuckled and looked at Jolene again with a quirked eyebrow. "Jolene Morrow? Really?" He smiled as Jolene nodded. "I never would have guessed it was you."

Jolene laughed coquettishly. "It's been a while since I've seen you around Charming. Last I heard you were in the Philippines. Marines, right?" She asked, doing her best to maintain eye contact. Last thing she needed were points on her license.

"Yeah," Hale started, one hand on his waist and the other with her documents leaning against the car door. "I did four years. Came home some time this past spring and went straight into the academy."

"Well, welcome home." Jolene beamed up at him. Hale looked at her license again, noting her birth date. She's certainly a very mature 18, he thought.

Hale prided himself on being a gentleman, but damn, that cleavage was a bit distracting. Noticing a sly half grin on her face, Hale caught himself staring at her and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I just can't get over the fact that you're the same tomboy I used to see working on cars at Teller-Morrow."

"Don't judge me too harshly on past transgressions," Jolene flirted. "I'm all girl now."

"I see." Hale smiled. Jolene mentally high-fived herself as she saw what could only be classified as a blush stain his cheeks. I don't think I've ever made a grown man blush before, Jolene marveled to herself.

"You know why I pulled you over, right?" He asked, still a little unnerved by those piercing green eyes and the realization that she was Clay Morrow's daughter all grown up.

"I do," Jolene replied, her long lashes fluttering before she slammed him again with her eyes. "I'm really sorry. Today was my last day of finals and I was a little eager to get home."

"Finals?" Hale asked and Jolene nodded. "College?"

"CSU-Stan." Jolene confirmed. "I started an accelerated Bachelor's Degree teaching program in early July."

"Good for you. Charming can always use good teachers." Hale said, genuinely pleased. He handed Jolene her license and registration. "Because this is our first encounter, Jolene, I'll let you go with a warning, but I did clock you doing 96. Next time that means points on your license and massive fines. More importantly, you could end up really hurting yourself or someone else, so slow it down, okay?" He asked and Jolene nodded eagerly.

"Thank you so much, David and I really appreciate the concern, too." Jolene smiled, already anxious to get back on the road.

Hale looked like he was about to speak again, but quickly changed his mind. Instead, he tipped his hat and made the move to walk away, but abruptly stopped himself. Turning back to Jolene, he ran his hand over his clean-shaven chin. "You know, I'd really like if we could get together some time, over dinner maybe, and you could bring me up to speed on the goings on in Charming."

In her mind, Jolene had anticipated up to and including the point where flirting would get her off without a speeding ticket. Having Hale ask her out on a date she hadn't seen coming.

"I'd love to, David, but I think my old man may have a problem with that." Jolene explained.

Hale chuckled. "Clay? Why would Clay have a problem with us having dinner?"

"Not Clay." Jolene replied. "Jax."

Hale could do very little to keep the surprised look off his face. "You and Teller?" He asked and Jolene nodded solemnly. Why wasn't he surprised? Even after all these years, not much changed around here. As had always been the case, there wasn't a beautiful girl in Charming that Teller had not gotten to first, even his own stepsister. "Would he mind us getting together over coffee instead? As acquaintances?"

"Yeah, I think, in general, he would have a problem wrapping his mind around the 'getting together' part." Jolene started. "He's a bit of the jealous-type and I'm really sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but I'm in love and the happiest I've ever been. I'd rather not rock the boat with my old man." She explained, feeling a little guilty.

"No, I totally understand, Jolene. I'm glad to hear you're happy and I'm happy for you, too." Hale lied. "Jax is lucky man." He smiled. That wasn't a lie. Jolene Morrow was a beautiful girl. She was fresh and clean-looking, not tatted up, as far as he could tell, and not world-weary and worn-out like most women associated with the MC. Aside from driving like a lunatic, she seemed to have her head on straight, she was going to college, and, hopefully, had a life outside the MC. Unfortunately, as Teller's old lady, that was a combination that more than likely would not accommodate a happy ending. Hale despised the resentment that still seeped into his bones, even after all of these years and all of his accomplishments, whenever he thought of Jackson Teller. Why did it bother him that a woman he had barely noticed in the past and haven't seen in years was happily hooked up with SAMCRO's favorite son? "It was really nice seeing you again, Jolene. Just keep an eye on your speed, ok? Oh, and by the way, you should really update the photo on your license." With a forced smiled, he tipped his hat and headed back to his Jeep.

Jolene threw her car into drive and pulled out onto the road. Biting the thumbnail of one hand as she drove with the other, Jolene couldn't help but feel bad that Hale had looked dejected as he walked away.

* * *

Having managed to keep herself from speeding as she drove through Charming, Jolene tore into the driveway and came to a screeching halt beside Jax's bike. Dang, she thought. Jax had beat her to the house. There went any chance she had of jumping in the shower and changing into something a little more slutty. Grabbing her messenger bag and newly purchased lingerie, Jolene jumped out of the car and nearly ran to the front door. Reaching for the doorknob, the door flew open and there he was, her golden god, standing in the doorway minus his cut and a lecherous grin on his handsome face.

"I was starting to think I got stood up." Jax kidded. "The way you drive, I expected you here an hour ago."

"I was still taking a test an hour ago, smartass." Jolene dropped a quick kiss on his lips and pushed past him and into the house. "Making fun of my driving is not conducive to you getting some. Besides, I had a pit stop to make first." She said, indicating the Victoria's Secret bag.

"Darlin', as beautiful as you look in all that girly frou-frou, I'm a simple man. All I need is you naked and awake and sometimes, even that's optional." Jax said as he slammed the door and followed her inside.

"Ewww, Jax!" Jolene exclaimed as she dropped her bags on the floor in the foyer.

Jax laughed. "That was one time, babe and it's not like you didn't wake up before I was finished."

"You're an animal," Jolene laughed, throwing herself into his arms. " You realize I've starting popping vitamins like Pez and chugging energy drinks because of you."

Jax smiled as he buried his hands in her hair, letting it loose from the clip holding it back. "I've missed you." He almost whispered, his eyes searching her slightly upturned face.

Jolene framed his face with her hands and pulled him down for a kiss. She had been so busy studying for summer finals that they had not spent the night together in over a week. They still managed to have sex, but it was usually quick and dirty, with Jolene running out of the Clubhouse right afterwards to go study. Surprisingly, their new routine was starting to make Jax cranky as he had grown accustomed to falling asleep with his arms wrapped around his old lady at least several times a week. Her heart nearly exploded in her chest when he had suggested taking her away to Tahoe for a long weekend just so they could have a conversation that didn't necessarily include the terms "harder, baby" or "right there, darlin'." She didn't want to bring it up now, but Jolene had caught a glimpse of her program for the Fall and it wasn't going to be any less hectic.

Now, this damn run to Indian Hills was throwing a wrench into their plans, making every moment from now until 8 o'clock tomorrow morning count. Pulling out of their embrace, Jolene grabbed Jax's hand, and started towards the stairs.

"Wait," Wincing, Jax pulled her back down. It killed him to stop their progress towards the bedroom, but they needed to have this discussion now, before he was putty in her hands. "Why did you keep me waiting?"

Taken aback, Jolene shook her head slightly, her brow furrowed. "I wasn't that late, Jax. Besides, I told you I had a stop to make."

"There's something else you're not telling me, Jo." Jax continued, although he was starting to think that maybe he should drop the whole thing. He was her old man, not her father after all. The look she was giving him, with her hand on her hip, was telling Jax she was thinking the same thing.

"Okay, obviously you already know what I'm not telling you," Jolene started. "So, why don't we just take it from there? Who ratted me out and what did they tell you?" She was on the defensive. Jolene knew she was about to get busted for her driving, but what was irking her most was that he chose to bring this up now, knowing that they had so little time together before his run.

"Unser called not two minutes before you arrived." Jax started. Jolene rolled her eyes and tried to pull away, but Jax held her back. "He wasn't ratting you out, Jolene. He was just concerned. We've talked about this before, darlin'. I thought you were beyond all the self-destructive bullshit."

Pulling her hand out of his grip, Jolene glared at Jax. "Not everything I do is related to my so-called 'mommy issues', Jax." She said angrily.

"That's not what I said." Jax said defensively.

"Not in so many words." Jolene retorted.

"You were clocked doing 96, Jolene." Jax argued.

"I know. I was there, yet here I am now wasting time discussing how I did NOT get a ticket." Jolene defended herself.

Jax smiled, shaking his head slightly. Knowing Jolene, she had probably worked those incredible eyes of hers to her own advantage. God only knew how many times he'd fallen victim himself. She could get away with just about anything with him, but not this time. "That doesn't mean you didn't deserve the ticket or the points." Jax chastised.

"Okay, so I got lucky this time. At least David saw fit to let me go with a warning and a promise that I'd slow down. If the man with the badge can let it go, why can't you?" Jolene asked.

"David?" Jax quirked an eyebrow at Jolene. Since when has his old lady been on a first-name basis with law enforcement? She never addressed Unser by anything other than Chief. She had apparently worked her mojo on this "David" and Jax was pretty sure he didn't like that.

"We're really going to discuss this now?" Jolene asked, slightly annoyed.

"Yeah, we are. You can start by telling me who the fuck David is."

"Deputy David Hale," Jolene started. "You remember him. You went to high school with him and he used to deliver our paper."

Jax nodded. Yeah, he remembered Charming's favorite son alright. The first time Tara had broken up with him had been while he was a Prospect. On leave right after basic training at the time, Hale had not wasted a minute before asking her out. Who knows what would have happened between them had Hale not shipped off to Southeast Asia.

"Did he ask you out before or after you told him you were my old lady?" Jax asked sarcastically.

"Before," Jolene replied and knowing how important full disclosure was to the both of them, continued, "And after. He refused to take no for answer at first."

Jax's jaw instantly clenched. He was just being an asshole asking her that question. He didn't think Hale was ballsy enough to go after SAMCRO blood, but apparently he was ballsy enough to go after his old lady. Again.

Jax bit his lip in a futile effort to control what was threatening to leap off the tip of his tongue. "I'll fuckin' kill him, Jolene."

Jolene ran up to Jax and threw her arms around his midsection. "No you won't, baby. There's no reason to. I made it very clear that I am head over heels in love with my old man." She started, unbuttoning his shirt and dropping kisses on his exposed chest. "Please, Jax, the clock's ticking on what little time we have together, so let's not waste anymore of it."

"It's not a waste of time, Jolene, so stop saying that." Jax said, a little stronger, and angrier, than he had intended. Grabbing her by her upper arms, Jax gently pushed her away before running his hands over her shoulders, and cupping her face. "I'm serious about your driving, darlin'. Do you even understand what it would do to me if you ever got hurt?"

Jolene could tell by the look in his eyes that he was imagining what that pain would feel like. "Okay, okay," She started, feeling guilty that she had let her pride convince her that Jax bitching about her driving had been about control, when he was so very obviously only concerned about her well-being. "You don't have to get all romantical about it."

"Now you're just making words up," Jax smiled. "But take it easy on the driving, promise?" And stay away from David Hale, he was tempted to add, but didn't. She had made it clear to both him and Hale that her heart, and that fuckin' tight body, belonged to only one man.

Jolene smiled back, a devilish twinkle in her eyes. "Only if you promise to do that swirly thing with your tongue. I swear, I think I passed out the last time."

"Oh, I will and you did, but that doesn't mean your driving is negotiable, darlin'. Give me your car keys." Jax demanded.

Jolene was momentarily stunned. "Jax, you're leaving town tomorrow. What am I supposed to do without my car? How am I supposed to get around?" He had warned her before. Take it easy behind the wheel or she was going to have to dust off her old skateboard in order to get around Charming when he wasn't around.

"Gemma, Donna, Neeta. I'll even leave you money for cabs." Jax suggested, pointing his finger into the outstretched palm of his hand. "I want your keys, Jo."

Jolene pouted prettily as she batted her eyelashes, but Jax was unmoved. "Fine." She conceded, retrieving them from her messenger bag.

"I love you." Jax grabbed the keys and shoved them into his jeans pocket, while pulling her towards him with his other hand.

"I know. I love-" she started but was cut off by Jax's hungry mouth on hers, leaving her almost breathless. Pulling away just enough to yank her t-shirt off over her head, Jax tossed it on the floor.

"No." Jolene went to pick it up, but was stopped by Jax pulling her into his arms again. "What if Gemma comes home early and sees our clothes scattered all over the place?"

"Then she'll know I'm fuckin' your brains out, darlin'," Jax smiled, dropping a kiss on the tip of her nose before bending and scooping her over his shoulder cave man-style.

"I can manage walking up the stairs, you know." She admonished, playfully smacking his ass.

"You're not fast enough, Jo and I'm done waiting." Jax replied, climbing the stairs towards her bedroom two at a time, prompting Jolene to squeal in fear for her life.

Reaching her room at the end of the hall, Jax practically kicked the door open as he entered and dropped her onto the bed. He quickly pulled his half-unbuttoned shirt off as Jolene grabbed him by his SAMCRO belt buckle and undid his jeans. Before she got the chance to pull his pants down, Jax fell to his knees on the floor, between her legs. With a slight smile on his face, Jax unhooked her push-up bra, releasing her beautiful tits. Jolene ran her hands over his broad shoulders and into his golden hair as Jax kissed her breasts and sucked on her nipples, before making his tortuously leisurely way down to her navel as he gently pushed her back onto the bed. Jolene arched her back and lifted her hips slightly as Jax slowly undid her cargo pants and, slower still, pulled them off.

"Don't pass out on me now." Jax threw her a wicked grin as he slowly pulled her knees apart.

Jolene tried to stay up on one elbow to watch as Jax nuzzled her core through the thin material of her underwear, her other hand buried in his hair, but lost the battle to stay upright once Jax ripped the underwear off her hips. Falling back onto the bed, Jolene moaned as Jax slid his tongue between her cleft and flicked upwards over her clit and back down again. Grinding her hips against his face, Jolene suddenly arched her back, shaking and crying out for Jax as he worked her with his mouth and fingers. She must have lost consciousness very briefly as he made her cum because the next thing she knew, Jolene was startled into practically kicking Jax in the head. Donna was standing at her bedroom door, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, as she apologized profusely before running out of the room.

Frustrated by the interruption, Jax was leaning against the bed, his eyes closed, and his head in his hands. "I think she's crying, Jo."

Jolene could still hear the blood rushing through her body as she came down from what she had hoped would have been the first of many orgasms and had to strain to hear Donna softly whimpering in the hallway outside her room. "Aw, shit!" Jolene moaned, thinking that maybe she had traumatized her friend with what she'd just seen. Jolene crawled off the bed, stopping briefly to kiss Jax. "To be continued."

"That goes without saying, darlin'." Jax replied, even though he had the sinking sensation he was going to be flying solo or suffer the worse case of blue balls known to man. Served him right for not thinking to lock the fuckin' front door!

Wrapping her fluffy white robe around herself, Jolene entered the hallway and closed the bedroom door behind her. Donna was sitting on the floor between what used to be Jax's old bedroom and the bathroom, her legs pulled up against her chest.

"I'm so embarrassed, Jolene. I'm so sorry," Donna started, hiccupping as she tried to stop her crying. "I should've known when I saw the bike outside, but I needed to talk to someone."

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Jolene sat next to her friend on the floor and grabbed her hand.

"I love Ope, I really do, but I don't know what I'm gonna do." Donna managed to say before breaking down again.

Jolene leaned against the wall, tempted to bang her head against it. This was starting to sound familiar. Donna was obviously very upset and Jolene had to fight hard to bite her tongue. If Donna had another falling out with her parents because of her relationship with Opie, she was going to have to pull up her big girl panties or let him go. Donna was 20 years old. Jolene had been 17 when she stood up to her father over Jax and, when it came to fearsome, Donna's parents had nothing over her dad. Thinking that maybe her friend had a lot of growing up to do before going forward with her relationship with Opie, Jolene had not been expecting what came out of Donna's mouth next.

"I think I'm pregnant."

Jolene's eyes widened. "Oh," She grabbed a sobbing Donna and hugged her. "Damn." Running her hand over the soft dark hair on the back of her head, Jolene let Donna get it all out and, apparently, that meant out and all over the shoulder of her bathrobe. When Donna finally pulled away, she was a snotty, tear-stained mess.

"When was your last period?" Jolene asked, using her fluffy sleeve to wipe down Donna's face.

Donna shook her head. "I can't remember. I think it was before your birthday party. As a matter of fact, I think that was the night it happened. In the heat of the moment, we started unprotected, but Opie ended up using a condom, so I didn't think anything of it." Shit, Jolene thought. Opie really loved Donna, of that Jolene was sure. Enough to risk knocking her up if it meant getting her to commit, of that Jolene was sure of too.

"I'm scared, Jolene." Donna continued. "How's Opie gonna take this? We only just got back together. What if he wants out, or worse? What if he wants me to get rid of it?" She started crying again.

If Donna was indeed pregnant, Jolene was willing to bet she had nothing to worry about, especially if what she suspected was true. Deeming it unnecessary to share her thoughts at the moment, Jolene decided to take control of the situation for her friend, the hot mess currently sitting in a puddle of her own tears. "Do you know for sure if you're pregnant? Have you taken a pregnancy test yet?" Jolene asked.

Donna shook her head. "No." She almost whispered.

"Fine, we'll start there." Jolene gently pushed Donna back by her shoulders. "We'll deal with everything else as it comes, okay? I'm with ya, every step of the way."

Donna nodded with a hint of a smile brightening her face, feeling somewhat relieved now that she had someone to share her burden with. "I know I'll probably never live down my incredibly poorly-timed cock-blocking, but can we do it now, please? I need to know as soon as possible."

"If cock-blocking was your intention, you timed it just right." Jolene teased, getting a genuine chuckle out of Donna. "Don't worry about it, sweetie. Go clean yourself up while I get dressed, okay? Don't use the head, though." Realizing that she had left Jax in a delicate state, Jolene expected to find him naked and spread eagled on her bed, ready to pick up where they left off. Instead, she found him, still in his jeans, sitting on the bed against the headboard and smoking a cigarette.

Jolene climbed onto the bed and slowly crawled up his legs until she was straddling him. Putting his cigarette out, his hands instantly found their way into the opening of her robe to caress her breasts, sending shockwaves through Jolene.

"I'm sorry," She apologized and something in her tone forced Jax to groan in frustration. "Something came up."

"I know and you're sitting on it, darlin'." He kidded, even though she could tell by his flared nostrils that he wasn't happy.

"You wanna quickie?" Jolene offered, her hands caressing the muscles on his bare chest. "Or I can blow ya, but you have to promise not to think about baseball while I'm doing it." She teased.

His hands now buried in her tousled hair, Jax smiled as he searched her face. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but no, I don't want a quickie. I will, however, take a rain check on the BJ, darlin'," He winked at her. "I'm just tired of hit-and-runs, Jo. I want to make love to my girl, long and slow, like we're the only two people on earth that matter."

"I want that, too." She grabbed one of his hands and kissed his palm. "We'll get together again, in a couple of hours, max, I promise."

Jax pulled her in for a hard, almost angry kiss before gently nudging her off of him. "I'll be at the garage." He said as he picked his shirt up off the floor and headed out without saying another word.

"Damnit!" Jolene muttered as she jumped off the bed. "And he took my car keys with him."

* * *

Even though Donna wanted to get the test done as soon as possible, Jolene reasoned that going to a pharmacy in town would be like putting out an ad in the Charming Pennysaver. Instead, with Jax holding her car hostage, Jolene drove Donna to Lodi in Donna's mom's 1978 AMC Gremlin to buy the pregnancy tests. There was absolutely no way Jolene could get clocked for speeding in that piece of shit. She might, however, get fined for driving _too slow_ since it apparently had only two speeds: slow and fuck-it-I-can-walk-faster-than-this-shit. Once there, Donna walked down the aisle and scooped several hundred dollars worth of tests into her basket. Pulling her back from the ledge, Jolene convinced her that all she needed were two, maybe three. Whatever the results, she was going to have to follow it up with a visit to an OB/GYN anyway, either for pre-natal care or to finally get her ass on some birth control. Back at the house, as they waited for the timer to go off, Jolene also reminded Donna that whatever the results, she was going to have to talk to Ope.

Forgetting until it was too late that she wasn't supposed to be driving, Jolene finally pulled onto the lot at a little past 5 o'clock and parked by the garage. "You okay?" Jolene reached for Donna sitting on the passenger side and clasped her hand.

Donna smiled, a wide, genuine smile for the first time this afternoon. "I'm just gonna sit here for a while and re-group," She started, looking out her window at Opie who was chatting with Chibs at the picnic table and had not noticed her arrival.

"Okay," Jolene squeezed her hand. "I'm gonna go and jump my old man. If you need me, promise you won't come looking for me until after 8 tomorrow morning." She sounded like she was kidding, but she was deadly serious. Cranky, sexually-frustrated bikers could quickly morph into rampaging killing machines, she was sure. Exiting the car, Jolene strutted towards the garage and approached Jax, who was busy taking his aggression out on an engine. "Save some of that for me." Jolene leaned against the slate gray Lexus he was working on.

At the sound of her voice, Jax pulled himself out from under the hood. "You sure you can handle it? There's a lot of pent up frustration I'm dealing with here."

"I kinda like the sound of that." Jolene nodded. "Just promise you _won't_ be gentle." She teased.

Jax smiled. "I don't think I can be even if I wanted to, darlin'."

"I'm a lucky girl then. Be as brutal as you need to be, baby. I want to be able to feel it for the next three days." Jolene purred. "Give me something to tide me over until you come back to me."

Jax laughed, running his hand over the whiskers on his chin. Damn, she had a way with words and although he had been upset with her earlier, he was quickly learning that he couldn't stay that way for long. "I get hard just listening to you talk, darlin'." And that's never happened with anyone else before, he thought to himself.

Walking up to him, Jolene pulled him into a kiss with one hand, while the other traveled south. She smiled against his mouth. "You weren't kidding, were you?"

Jax shook his head slightly, a sexy half-smirk on his face. "I'd start walking towards the Clubhouse if I were you cuz I'm a heartbeat away from bending you over the hood of this car."

Jolene raised her eyebrows. "Don't threaten me with a good time, Teller." She laughed as she made a break for the Clubhouse, barely escaping his intention of making good on his threat.

* * *

Donna watched as Jolene made a mad dash from the garage towards the Clubhouse, with Jax hot on her heels, no doubt intent on finishing what she had so rudely interrupted this afternoon. Donna felt herself turn red as she covered her face with her hands in an attempt to block out what she'd seen. At 18, Jolene exuded the confident sexuality of a woman in her 30s. At 18, Donna had debated whether or not Opie would think she was fast and loose if she let him grab her breasts while they kissed.

They were worlds apart and Donna couldn't help but wonder if what Opie needed was someone more like Jolene. Someone who didn't give a shit what others thought and who made no excuses for who she was. Someone who didn't feel the need to make excuses for who her man was either. Jolene didn't love Jax _in spite_ of his connection to the MC. She loved him in part _because_ of it. In all fairness, Donna was being hard on herself as there really was no comparison. Jolene was born into the MC life. She didn't know what "normal" was and more importantly, she didn't have a taste for it.

Unlike Donna, Jolene was a great believer of destiny and that everything happens for a reason. This was something Jolene had tried to convince her of as they drove back to Charming this afternoon. Jolene had explained that even though at the time it had broken her heart, Jolene knew that before he could be hers, Jax was meant to be with Tara. She suffered through those three years they were together all because Jolene knew that it wouldn't last. Tara was wrong for Jax. Jolene could see it in her eyes and knew, even before Jax, that Tara wasn't cut out for the Life. She knew Tara would bail on him and break his heart. Jolene was convinced that Jax had needed to suffer that kind of pain so that he would know the difference when he was finally hers. As she spoke, Donna cringed at times, thinking that Jolene might have been bordering on obsession when it came to Jax, but she knew for a fact by seeing them together now that her young friend had been right all along. Jax Teller and Jolene Morrow were made to go together. There was no one else in this world for either one of them.

Looking at Opie now, Donna was coming to that same realization herself. Like Tara, Donna had bailed on Opie, more than once, and for the same reasons, too. Only difference was that Donna was lucky enough to have Jolene on her side. According to Jolene, destiny had forced Donna's hand because she and Opie Winston were meant to be together. Anything else and Donna would regret it for the rest of her life.

With more confidence and determination than she actually felt, Donna exited her car and headed towards the Clubhouse. Thinking that Donna had probably heard from Jolene that the Club would be leaving first thing in the morning for Indian Hills, Opie jumped off the table and met her halfway. If Donna was gonna tear him a new one, he didn't want Chibs to witness it.

"Hey, Donna," Opie started, but was cut off as she threw her petite frame against his. With her hands lost in his beard, Donna pulled him towards her and kissed him. Pleasantly surprised, Opie wrapped his arms around her slender waist and lifted Donna off her feet, kissing her back. Pulling away slightly, Opie smiled. "I'm happy to see you, too."

"Really?" Donna tilted her head to the side, the expectation of something clear in her beautiful blue eyes.

Sensing this had nothing to do with Indian Hills, Opie stroked her silky sable-colored hair, his eyes searching her face for some clue. "Always." He promised.

"Are you busy, Ope? We need to talk." Donna asked, looking around the lot. Although it was bustling with activity, everyone was preoccupied with wrapping up for the day and no one seemed to be paying them any attention.

If there ever were a set of words that made a man's balls shrivel up and crawl back into their bodies, those words were definitely "we need to talk". From experience, Opie knew nothing good ever came from hearing those words come out of a woman's mouth. She was either going to list point-by-point every damn thing he'd ever done to take her for granted or she was about to tell him it was over. The latter conversation he's had with Donna too many times to count, but today, he wasn't getting that vibe from her, if the kiss she had just planted on him was anything to go by.

"Sure, babe." Opie bent towards Donna and dropped a kiss on her lips before leading her by the hand to the picnic table, now unoccupied as Chibs, unable to indulge in all of his favorite vices because of the fight night coming up, had taken off on his bike.

Donna climbed onto the table and sat with her denim-clad legs drawn together and her white-knuckled hands gripping her knees. "I love you, Ope." Donna started and Opie involuntarily winced, causing her to look at him like he had two heads.

"Donna, you know I love you too, but when you start a conversation with 'we need to talk' and then follow it up with an 'I love you', I can't help but feel like I'm waiting to hear a 'but' followed by all the reasons why you're leaving me again." Opie explained.

Surprised that he would speak so bluntly, Donna couldn't help but laugh. Opie's heart swelled with the love he had for this woman. She never looked so beautiful as when she was happy and laughing. Feeling oddly comforted by the fact that Opie was expecting to get dumped again, Donna blurted, "Opie, I'm pregnant."

Not exactly surprised that she would be, Opie felt the corners of his mouth tug into a grin. "Are you sure?"

Donna gave him a wide-eyed smile as she nodded. "Pretty sure." She replied and, in an instant, Opie swept her into his arms, hugging and kissing her as he spun her around. He was breathless and Donna was woozy by the time he put her down on her feet.

Donna grabbed onto the front of Opie's cut with both hands, realizing, strangely enough for the first time, that the only time he ever took it off was when he made love to her. "I just thought that with everything that's come to light lately, about the Club, that maybe you'd think the timing was really bad." Donna explained. "Do you really want this baby, Opie? Do you really want me?"

Knowing that he should probably let the fact that they were having a baby sink in first, Opie fought the urge to ask her to marry him. She was in a vulnerable state and was still dealing with the bullshit her parents were putting her through, what he had put her through by keeping the truth about the MC from her. He didn't want to pressure her, but he didn't want to give her parents the opportunity to talk her into something neither of them wanted, and what he wanted was Donna and their baby.

Opie felt his heart tighten in his chest. Donna was waiting for his response and it was clear that it was suppressed happiness and excitement that he was seeing in her eyes. She wanted this baby, too, but she was holding back her emotions, afraid of what he would say and of what he might ask her to do. Without saying a word, Opie fell onto one knee before her.

"Donna," Opie started and Donna's hand flew to her mouth, the anxiety gone from her face as her eyes danced over his. "I love you and there's only one thing I want more than having you be the mother of my children. I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?"

Unable to control the tears that had been threatening to fall ever since she had seen the double pink lines in Jolene's bathroom, Donna grabbed Opie's face and kissed him, forgetting that his question required an answer.

"Is that a yes?" Opie muffled against her lips as he pulled her into his embrace.

* * *

Opie stopped himself just short of banging on Jax's door. If the noise coming from that room was any indication, Opie should know better than to interrupt Jax. Opie almost turned around and left, but stopped and, cringing slightly, knocked on the door. He waited for the longest 15 seconds of his life, and when the activity on the other side of the door continued at the same rigorous level, Opie knocked a little harder.

"Get the FUCK away from my FUCKIN' door!" Jax bellowed. Opie could hear Jolene murmuring something to Jax, with Jax responding that he didn't give a flying fuck if they were being invaded by Mayans.

Knowing that payback was a bitch and that Jax would find a way to get back at him, Opie knocked again. "Jax, it's me. I need to talk to you."

Jolene pulled her ankles out of Jax's hands and gently nudged him with her feet against his chest. "Go talk to him." She insisted, already knowing that Opie either had great news to share or needed someone to put a bullet in the back of his head.

"Really? I'm hard as a rock, Jolene." Jax started sarcastically. "I'm pretty sure my best friend would appreciate me NOT talking to him with a raging hard-on."

"Please," Jolene pouted, pushing herself up onto her elbows. "This is Donna-related, I am sure of it. It's important to Ope or he wouldn't be standing outside your door listening to us have sex."

"You hope." Jax replied. "You're not exactly the quiet type, darlin'." He teased, barely escaping getting kicked off the bed.

Jax considered answering the door buck naked. It would certainly teach Opie a lesson, but almost like she could read his mind, Jolene admonished, "Jax, put some pants on!"

"How about covering up that ass?" Jax demanded, tossing a bed sheet over Jolene before jumping into his jeans.

"Why? Are you inviting him in?" Jolene teased, wrapping the blanket around herself before jumping out of bed and heading into the bathroom.

Watching her leave, Jax realized that this was the hardest he's ever had to work at getting a piece of ass. His old lady was more than worth it, but he'll be damned if he wasn't about ready to kill someone. Shaking his head, Jax threw open the door, scowl firmly in place.

"Somebody better be dead, bro." Jax said menacingly.

In spite of his friend's foul mood, Opie couldn't help the grin threatening to crack his face wide open. "Not dead. How about pregnant?"

Confused by the lack of blood currently making its way to his brain, Jax narrowed his eyes. Thinking Opie knew something he didn't, Jax's head whipped around towards the bathroom door. "Oh shit!"

Opie was shaking his head. "Relax, Jax. Not Jo. Donna." Jax's eyes widened. "And it's a good thing." Opie added when it looked like Jax was unsure.

Cracking a genuine smile, Jax gave his best friend what Jolene called a bro hug. Clasping hands as if they were going to arm wrestle, they pulled each other in for a shoulder bump and finally a back slap.

"Congrats, bro." Jax started, knowing how much his friend really loved Donna. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, man." Opie smiled. "I'm sorry for barging in on you like this, but I just need to think out loud, bounce an idea off of you."

"What is it, Ope?" Jax asked, his arms crossed over his bare chest and his coitus interruptus momentarily forgotten.

"We want to get married and I don't want to push her into doing it fast, but given the opportunity, her parents are gonna give her hell about it. They'll try talking her out it, I just know it. I love her, Jax and I don't know what I'd do if that happened." Opie explained.

"Then don't let it happen." Jax started emphatically. "If this is what you both want, fuck 'em. Do what's gonna make you and your old lady happy. Her folks' opinion about you is never gonna change, especially after they find out you impregnated her with your Sasquatch spawn." He kidded.

"That's why I'm here, brother." Opie smiled. "I don't want to give her a chance to change her mind, so I was thinking that during this run to Indian Hills, Donna and I can head over to Reno and get married. And I know I'm speaking for Donna too when I say that this can't happen without our two best friends there with us."

Suddenly, the bathroom door flew open and out popped a fully-clothed Jolene, which prompted Jax to do a double take. Considering that he was still raring to go, Jax would have been less surprised if she had run out of the bathroom naked. She was across the room and leaping into Opie's arms in a flash, planting a big, wet kiss on his hairy cheek.

"Congratulations!" Jolene beamed as Opie hugged her and put her back down onto the floor. "Ohmigod, Jax, they're eloping. Are we going? Can we go? Please." She asked excitedly.

Jax smiled as he shook his head. He'd probably wait until after his kid was born, but Jax was definitely gonna kill Ope. "Hell's yeah, we're going, darlin'." He replied and Jolene leaped into his arms, but unlike Opie, Jax had no intention of letting her go. "They won't be able to head out with us tomorrow, though." Jax directed at Opie. The Club, under a ruse of a protection run for Unser Trucking, was actually transporting a shipment from the Irish to Nevada for distribution to several SOA charters in town under the cover of fight night. Jax didn't want the girls along for the ride while transporting merch. Traveling through Northern Nevada was dangerous enough without the added worry of needing to protect their old ladies.

"Oh, no," Jolene started. "We can't leave tomorrow. There's too much we have to get done first. As a matter of fact, I should go talk to Donna." She made the move to dislodge herself from Jax's hold, but he tightened his grip around her waist.

Looking at her with raised eyebrows, Jax was shaking his head. "Oh hell's no."


	11. Fight Night

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

If the day before had been unusually warm, this morning was downright frigid as the MC geared up for the first leg of their road trip, the run into Nevada under the guise of protection for Unser Trucking. The only thing the Sons were protecting today was their investment in over half a million dollars-worth of merch from the Irish. Once safely stored in the basement of one of Jury's strip clubs, SAMCRO could start the distribution to other Club charters, who have been crying out for their own piece of the gun pie for months now.

Wearing one of Jax's oversized sweatshirts with the hood pulled tightly over her head, Jolene bounced on the balls of her feet next to Jax's Dyna as she watched him attach his saddle and roll bags to the side and back of the bike. Pulling himself upright, Jax smiled as he saw Jolene shiver like a tiny lapdog, her full lips tinged slightly blue.

"Come here," He grabbed her hand and gathered her into his arms. Jolene burrowed against the warmth of his torso, snaking her arms around his waist underneath his cut, and sighed contentedly.

"Whose stupid idea was it to head out so early anyway?" Jolene muffled against his chest.

"Your dad's," Jax chuckled, kissing the top of her covered head.

"How long's the ride? Four hours?" Jolene asked, looking up into Jax's face.

"A little over three." He replied, dipping his head to kiss her mouth softly.

"You're gonna be alright? You didn't get any sleep last night." Jolene said, concerned for his safety on the road.

"I got exactly what I needed last night, darlin'." Jax smiled, his blond eyebrows wiggling knowingly beneath his Reaper Crew cap. "I'll be just fine, so don't worry about me, a'ight?"

"Can't help it. I love you too goddamn much." She responded. With his gloved hands cupping her face, Jax kissed her long and slow.

"I love you, too, baby." He said, his voice a gravelly whisper. Hugging him tightly, Jolene relished his manly scent of leather and cigarettes. Letting her go, Jax pointed to the Gremlin parked by the garage. "Is that the piece of shit Donna's providing for the road trip?" He asked.

"Yeah, but I doubt it'll make it. It wheezed all the way to Lodi and back yesterday." Jolene replied.

Reaching into the pocket of his cut, Jax pulled out her car keys. "Here," He offered. "Have Lowell give the Mustang a quick maintenance check, oil, tire pressure, and whatnot before hitting the road, ok?" Jolene nodded with a slight smile on her lips. "Make sure he packs a working spare and some road flares and don't forget a car charger for your cell phone. Cell service is spotty at best the farther you go into the desert. As a matter of fact, maybe I should talk to Piney and see if he can hook you up with a CB."

"We'll be fine, Jax." Jolene chuckled. "And I promise I won't attempt to break any land speed records either, ok?"

Jax raised a doubtful eyebrow and smiled. "I trust you."

"No you don't." Jolene laughed and Jax shook his head.

"No I don't." He confirmed with a grin and pulled her in for another embrace.

"Are we done with the smoochie-woochies, please?" Tig groaned, indicating Opie and Donna as well, who were also wrapped in each other's arms. "Save some of that shit for Jury's girls." He teased and Jolene watched him walk away as she shot daggers at him through narrowed eyes.

Pulling her chin up, Jax forced Jolene to make eye contact with him. "Ignore him. He's an asshole. 'Sides," He smiled. "You pumped me dry last night, darlin'. I'm tapped out." He kidded.

"That was the plan, Stan." Jolene smiled as she pulled him down for one more kiss.

"Enough already, for chrissakes!" Clay bellowed, as he walked to his bike. "Whatever happened to my 'No-PDA' order?"

"Dad, that expired on my birthday." Jolene approached her father and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You didn't come home last night." Clay said, barely above a whisper, his arm around her waist.

"I hardly ever come home at night anymore." Jolene reminded him.

Clay shook his head. "Past couple of weeks you've been home before me."

"That's cuz I was studying for finals." Jolene replied.

Clay feigned a wide-eyed wounded look. "Is that the only reason?"

"No, Dad." Jolene droned in a monotone voice. "I live for the moments we have shared these past two weeks bonding over I Love Lucy re-runs and bowls of Doritos at 3 o'clock in the morning."

"Yeah, next time say it like ya mean it." Clay lovingly kissed her temple and then playfully pushed her away. "Wrap it up with your old man. We gotta hit the road."

"Gee, Dad. Love you, too." Jolene said sarcastically, her hands on her hips.

"Oh, and I'm sure your old man already discussed this with you, but no staying at the Clubhouse when Jax is on the road, ok?" Clay said while strapping on his helmet.

Jolene swung around towards Jax, her eyes wide. "You didn't tell him?" She whispered through clenched teeth as she approached Jax, who was now seated on his bike.

"Are you shitting me? A man has his priorities and mine last night was finally nailing my old lady." Jax winked at her. "Don't worry, darlin'. I'll talk to him as soon as we get to Indian Hills."

"Maybe we should just drive straight to Reno, meet you guys there." She suggested, convinced that saying Clay would have a problem with her and Donna joining them on the run was an epic understatement.

"Jo, I hate the fact that you'll be driving through Northern Nevada by yourself as it is and Indian Hills is right across the border. To get to Reno, you'll have to travel real deep into Mayan territory unprotected," Jax was shaking his head. "And that's not happening. I promise I'll talk to Clay as soon as we get to Uncle Jury's. Let's just stick to the original plan, a'ight?"

She smiled at his over-protectiveness. "Okay, boss man."

Jax laughed. "Next time say it like ya mean it." He teased, mimicking Clay.

Letting go of Donna, Opie approached his bike parked next to Jax's. "When are you womenfolk heading out?" He asked Jolene as he climbed on and starting gearing up.

Jolene looked to Donna and both shrugged their shoulders. "Depends on how much we can get done today. Tomorrow morning at the latest."

"Give us a head's up." Jax directed. "We might be able to meet you at the border."

"OMG!" Jolene moaned. "Just go already. We'll be fine."

Suddenly grabbing her by the neck of the hoodie, Jax pulled her towards him. "Love me?" He asked, close to her mouth.

"You know it." She barely finished speaking before Jax kissed her one last time, provoking his brothers that were geared up and waiting impatiently to rev their bikes loudly. Running up to Bobby, Jolene dropped a quick kiss on her Uncle Elvis before Clay and Big Otto tore out of the lot, leading the procession down Main Street and towards Bluebird, where they would meet up with the Prospect and Unser's truck filled to capacity with their precious cargo.

* * *

The closer the Sons got to Indian Hills, the warmer it became, and the tenser Clay got. For months now, the Club's been running guns into Mayan territory on the regular, but this was a big convoy with a large SAMCRO presence. The runs that the Club had made in the past were much smaller and more covert, and as a result, the Club had been able to avoid alerting the Mayans of their new business venture in Northern Nevada. Marcus Alvarez, the Mayan President, would no doubt have a serious problem with that. Because of Clay's promise to LaRoy that the Sons would not supply guns to the Mayans, Alvarez would take offense that SAMCRO was setting up shop in his own backyard, refusing to sell them merch on top of not paying a vig for transporting it through his territory. SAMCRO didn't pay vigs. It would set a bad precedent and since SAMCRO was NorCal's only connection to the hardware provided by the RIRA, they had grown accustomed to playing by their own rules.

Clay chastised himself. He needed to relax and keep his eyes as well as his mind on the road. They were less than an hour away from the Devil's Tribe Clubhouse and Big Otto and Tig had worked out the logistics down to the letter. They had meticulously planned the route for the best possible course to Jury's and, with several heavily-armed club members in front, on the side, and behind Unser's truck, as well as an advance team of two brothers serving as an early warning system of possible trouble, Mayans or Nevada's finest, Clay felt reasonably sure that the merch would arrive at Jury's without incident. Still, "reasonably sure" was not an absolute and Clay Morrow felt comfortable dealing only in absolutes.

So deep in his own thoughts, the sound of the truck's tire blowing out caused Clay's heart to jump to his throat. Gunshot, he thought as he made eye contact with Big Otto, riding by his side. Suddenly, the truck swerved to avoid hitting the bikes in front, soon followed by the sound of a hail of bullets from behind, as well as the loud roar of unfamiliar bikes, at least four, maybe more.

Although time seemed to stand still, the next few seconds became a sudden haze of bullets and sand as the Sons exchanged return-fire on the eight Mayans bearing down on them, seemingly out of nowhere from the dry brush running along side the road, and intent on hijacking the cargo.

Veering to either side of the truck, Clay, Big Otto, Tig, and Jax cleared a path for Juice to gun ahead, falling back along with Opie and Chibs to meet the Mayans head on. Thanks to the superior quality of the Irish hardware, and in spite of being outnumbered, the Sons managed to put the fear of God in the Asesinos de Dios and sent the Mayans packing, most unharmed, but more than a couple sporting a few new holes.

Flooded with relief that they had managed to protect the truck by fighting through that close call with zero casualties, Clay was once again startled out of his thoughts as he heard Jax call out to him. Turning just in time to see Chibs airborne, his bike on its side and skidding towards him, Clay swerved to the left, narrowly avoiding the collision.

Catching the near-miss in the rear view, Juice slowly maneuvered the hobbled truck to a stop as Bobby and Kyle approached the scene from the opposite direction, having been alerted to the melee by the barrage of ammo. Almost simultaneously, six bikes came to a screeching halt, with six riders practically flying to their fallen brother's side.

"Holy shit!" Clay exclaimed. Chibs was lying on the side of the road, breathing and semi-conscious, one side of his face covered in road rash, his right arm at an odd angle.

"Damn, man, you alright?" Juice asked, bent at the knees near Chibs' head.

"Do I look all right, ya idiot? I think me shoulder's dislocated." He howled in pain as he attempted to move his arm.

"Stop, bro! Don't move." Jax cautioned.

"For fuck's sake, somebody pop it back in!" Chibs practically begged as he writhed on the ground.

"I'll do it!" Tig was quick to volunteer.

"Whoa, wait." Bobby started. "That's gonna cause you a world of pain, brother. We should take you to the hospital."

"No! No hospital!" Chibs bellowed. "Jus do it, Tig and make it quick."

"I need you standing, bro." Tig bent to help him up, along with Jax and Opie, with Chibs howling in pain the whole way up.

"Fuck! Hurts a bit more than a hang nail, don't it?" Chibs complained, but managed to get onto his feet and stay there.

"You sure you know what you're doing?" Jax asked Tig, concerned for his friend.

"No." Tig replied simply as he grabbed Chibs by his wrist and elbow and with one violent push, relocated the shoulder into its socket with a sickening pop. Glaring at Tig, Jax tried to keep Chibs upright as he screamed bloody murder, his legs giving way as he fell onto his knees.

"You coulda warned him, asshole!" Jax chastised angrily.

"Nah," Tig shook his head confidently. "Trust me. It's better this way."

"Jesus Joseph Mary Mother of Christ!" Chibs bellowed. "That fuckin hurt! I think I pissed meself!"

"Walk it off, brother. Just walk it off." Tig advised.

"It's not a goddamn Charley Horse for chrissakes!" Bobby retorted. "He can't just walk it off."

"No, he can't." Big Otto directed at Clay. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

"If you're thinkin' we're fucked," Clay started. "Then yeah, I am."

Chibs managed to bring himself up onto his feet on his own once again. Jax and Opie pushed Chibs' bike upright, checking it out for damage. Revving the engine, Opie nodded at Jax.

"Looks good." He said.

"Certainly a helluva lot better than Chibs." Jax replied, indicating the Scotsman who was the color of cold oatmeal. "Think you can ride?" He asked Chibs.

Chibs attempted to roll his shoulder and the shooting pain nearly brought him to his knees again. "Shit!"

Big Otto was shaking his head. "He can't ride, Clay. There's no way he's gonna be able to fight tonight."

"If he don't fight, we're gonna lose a nice chunk of change, at least fifty grand." Bobby remarked. "And how's it gonna look if the mother charter forfeits?"

Tig was shaking his head. "Not good, brothers, not good. Those shitheads will never let us live it down. Besides, I was looking forward to seeing Kozik get his ass beat." He lamented. "Fuck it! I'll do it."

Forced to take shallow breaths because anything else hurt like hell, Chibs was panting as he spoke. "Ya probably could take him, brutha, but the winner of each bout moves onto the next round, no time limits. Can ya handle three fights in one night? You were face down in sweetbutts last night and ya still hung over. We need fresh, young meat." He said, turning his head off to the right and everyone followed his gaze.

Juice, eyes wide, was pointing at himself. "Me? You want me to fight?"

"Not you, arsehole." Chibs reprimanded. "The bloke behind you."

"Yeah, Prospect," Big Otto called out. "Take your candy ass over to the truck and start working on that tire."

"That's a two-man job." Juice commented, almost afraid he was going to end up with a tire iron upside his head.

"Kyle, give him a hand." Clay nodded his head towards the truck.

"What?" Kyle asked, with wide-eyed disbelief.

"Just do it." Big Otto commanded. "The sooner we get it done, the sooner we can get off the Mayan radar."

"So, you up for it, Jackie Boy?" Chibs directed at Jax. "With me giving you a few pointers, that is."

Clenching and unclenching his fists, Jax nodded. "I can do it." He replied adamantly. With everyone in agreement, they all turned to Clay for the final say.

Clay ran his hand over his face. "As long as you think you can handle it, Jax. Not only do we need the wins, but I need you whole, brother. I bring you back in a pine box, I might as well come back in one myself cuz your old lady would kill me."

The bickering back and forth between Juice and Kyle brought everyone's attention back to their current situation. They needed to get moving as quickly as possible in case the Mayans they had chased off like little bitches came back with an army of angry Mexicans for back up.

"This is bullshit." Opie muttered under his breath as he headed to the truck. He had too much to live for to get taken down on some desolate, desert highway by some wetback outlaws two days before his wedding. Pushing Kyle and Juice out of the way, Opie proceeded to remove the blown out tire. Heading towards his friend to help out, Jax was stopped by Clay's hand on his shoulder.

"You need to take it easy. We need you in top form tonight." Clay explained. Turning to Big Otto, he said, "Get someone to load Chibs' bike onto the truck and have him ride with Juice."

"Speaking of which," Jax started as he and Clay walked towards their bikes. "I don't think Unser's gonna appreciate bullet holes in his truck." He commented.

"He probably won't appreciate the fact that we used his truck to transport our merch either, but better some bullets in his truck than a shitload of Mayans." Clay replied with a cheeky grin.

With Tig's help, Opie made quick work of changing the tire and the Sons were quickly on the road again, making it to one of Jury's strip clubs before noon. Jax had barely climbed off his bike and removed his helmet before he was swept into a giant bear hug by the man his father had loved like a brother even though they never shared a patch.

"Hey, Uncle Jury!" Jax exclaimed as he slapped the older man on the back of his denim cut.

"Shit, Jax, it's been ages." Jury pulled away. Looking Jax over, Jury marveled at how much he resembled a young JT. "You're reputation precedes you, son. I have a cat house full of pussy scratching each other's eyes out for first crack at ya!"

Jax smiled, about to open his mouth to respond, when he felt a heavy hand grip him on the shoulder of his cut.

"No pussy, no booze, no weed," Bobby started. "At least 'til after the fight tonight."

"It's a little late for that, don't ya think? Practically had to sandblast the bastard off his old lady this morning." Tig chimed in.

"Old lady?" Jury quirked an eyebrow at Jax.

Jax nodded with a smile. "We'll talk later."

"So SAMCRO's sending a ringer to the mat tonight?" Needles, the Tribe's VP, kidded good-naturedly. "I thought the reigning champ was representing the Redwood Originals."

"The reigning champ," Clay started, jabbing his thumb towards Chibs, who was currently surrounded by a bevy of scantily clad strippers. "Is milking a dislocated shoulder for all it's worth."

"What happened?" Jury asked with a knitted brow. "He was fine the last time we spoke this morning."

"Some of your brown neighbors tried to take down our convoy about 40 minutes from here." Big Otto explained. "Chibs took a header off his bike. We're lucky he was the only casualty."

"Luck had nothing to do with it, brother." Tig said, his chest puffed out with pride. "They outnumbered us, but we out gunned those sons of bitches."

"Well, sounds like you boys could use a drink and some company to enjoy it with," Jury started. "Except you, son." He laughed, clapping Jax on the back.

"Take the truck out back," Needles directed at Big Otto, as Jury, Clay, Jax, Bobby, and Chibs headed inside the club to discuss fight night. "Some of the Tribe are waiting to help unload it into the basement."

Kyle had his arm around the shoulders of a too-skinny blond in a skimpy bikini top and g-string and was heading inside when Big Otto practically blocked his path.

"Kyle, come on, man," Big Otto said, shaking his head. "We need your help."

Kyle looked on the verge of having a seizure. "What the fuck! First you have me changing tires and now you want me to unload the goddamned truck?" He was incredulous.

"You didn't exactly change the tire, asshole." Opie declared, already making his way to the back to help with moving the merch inside.

"Yeah, and if it's the pussy you're worried about, don't cuz with Jax off the market, there's plenty to go around." Big Otto added.

"I wouldn't say plenty." Tig remarked. "I've got dibs on three, maybe four that caught my eye." He said as he followed Opie to the back.

"Come on," Big Otto beckoned. "The Tribe are our hosts. We can't let them do all the dirty work, man." He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Kyle. Reluctantly, Kyle pulled his arm away from the stripper, slapping her bare ass, and throwing her a wink before heading out back. Shaking his head, Big Otto followed, making a mental note to have a talk with Clay. It was time to clean house and the first order of business was clearing the table of excess dead weight.

* * *

With the merch safely ensconced in Jury's Pink Taco Gentlemen's Club on the I-80, Jury, Needles, and SAMCRO headed out to the Tribe's Clubhouse in a heavily-wooded and isolated area of Indian Hills. By the time they rode into the parking lot, several SOA charter members from Reno, Tacoma, Rogue River, Tucson, and Nomad had already started trickling in. In spite of the highly anticipated fight night, with all kinds of money changing hands with the side betting, the camaraderie, as usual, was that of shared brotherhood and wherever there was a gathering of Sons, a party was sure to break out.

Chibs, with this right arm in a makeshift sling, loaded up on painkillers and Jameson, spent the afternoon giving Jax pointers as he sparred with Juice. Although always in peak physical condition, in recent months Jax had gained about 15 lbs. in additional muscle, resulting in a lot of power packed into his punch and a core that could withstand a barrage of blows. Chibs was convinced that after tonight's fight, his days in the ring representing SAMCRO were all but numbered and, at his age, that was a mantle he would gladly pass on to Jax.

Clay, Big Otto, and Bobby had set up shop in the Tribe's Chapel, where they met with the top two of each charter separately, laying the ground work for the distribution of hardware that would start tomorrow morning. Although each charter had already fronted the cash to SAMCRO for the discounted merch from the Irish, the mother charter was still entitled to 20% of the profits made as a result of a sale. Running guns was SAMCRO's gig. Clay and his crew had the most to lose as they did most of the work. In spite of being the smallest charter, for years, SAMCRO had handled the import, assembly, transport, and distribution all on their own. More work meant more risk and if the charters had a problem with giving SAMCRO its 20%, then they were free to walk away from the table at any time. It was widely known that SAMCRO had been operating in the black for several months now, making its members not exactly rich, but pretty damn well-off. The other charters were ready to share in that prosperity and 20% was a reasonable cut, considering that they had brought the merch from SAMCRO at a discount and could sell it for three times that much on the street. The last caveat that Clay threw on the table was that SAMCRO had followed through and brought the merch to Nevada for the initial distribution. After this run, each charter was responsible for the logistics of getting the hardware from Charming to their respective locations. If SAMCRO had to aid in the transport, their cut would be bumped up to 25%.

With the real business for bringing the Sons to Indian Hills dealt with for the time being, as sunset approached, the Club was all about having a good time and hopefully watching Jax bring victory, along with a whole lotta cash, to SAMCRO.

Jury and the Tribe had gone out of their way to make the Sons feel welcomed on their turf. Food, drink, and pussy was in abundance and by the time Jax stepped into the ring for his first bout against Jesus "Zeus" Esparza, the Reno charter VP, most of his brothers were already ten sheets to the wind and getting rowdier by the minute.

Zeus was about 10 years older than Jax and back in the day, he had been built like a Mack truck. Sizing him up, Jax was sure those guns could still pack a wallop. However, living large as he moved up the ranks in Reno had softened Zeus up in the middle a bit. Never one to back down from a fight or a challenge, Jax was looking forward to taking the big man down and, even though it took longer than expected, take him down he did. Twenty minutes into the battle, with nothing but medical tape wrapped around their hands for protection, and after battling through the pain of repeated punches to his ribs, Jax landed a solid blow in Zeus' solar plexus. With the wind suddenly and unexpectedly knocked out of him and every nerve ending in his abdomen on fire, in a blink-you-missed-it kinda moment, Zeus fell to his knees, bent over at the waist, and ended up face first on the mat, ass in the air. He wasn't knocked out cold, but he'd be damned if he was getting up from that blow any time soon. Jury stepped into the ring to check on him only to be waved away.

"I give, man, I give!" Zeus called out to Jury. Jax threw his arms up in victory and, watching from ringside, SAMCRO collectively lost their shit as they jumped up and down, high-fiving and patting each other on the back.

From his perch on his bike at the back of the lot, Kyle watched in envious disgust as every sweetbutt and stripper within spitting distance creamed their panties at the sight of Golden Boy taking down the powerhouse that was Zeus Esparza. A mini-melee broke out among a small group of them, including the stripper he had his eye on earlier, as they bickered over who had dibs on Jax Teller first. Grabbing the first unoccupied sweetbutt to stray too close within reach, without a word, Kyle led her to a thicket of trees. Pushing her onto her knees, Kyle unzipped his jeans. He needed a distraction and what better way to cool his jets than by getting his dick sucked.

Jax shook hands with Zeus before pulling him into a bro hug. "No hard feelings?" Jax asked Zeus, whom he had grown to know really well during his trips to Reno in a frustrated effort to avoid Jolene before their relationship began with a vengeance.

"Fuck no, bro. That's what I get for letting myself go." Zeus managed to chuckle even though he swore he could still feel a throbbing pain in his diaphragm. "You are stacked, man. There was plenty of follow through on that last punch. Wasn't expecting that shit!"

Jax jumped out of the ring, making way for the next bout between Quinn, the President of the Nomad charter and Duff from Rogue River. Chibs grabbed him by the shoulder with his good hand and shook him slightly.

"Excellent, brutha." He congratulated Jax.

"How ya holding up?" Big Otto asked.

Jax wiped the sweat off his brow with the towel Bobby tossed him and took a swig from the bottle of water he grabbed from Opie.

"My ribs are sore," Jax acknowledged. "And I'm not gonna lie, I'm feeling a little fatigued."

"That's to be expected, Jackie Boy." Chibs assured him. "It took a lot of power behind those punches to bring down that beast. Put ice on those ribs and rest up. Hopefully, the night isn't over for you yet."

* * *

Kyle had been slightly more than just a little disappointed when, in the harsh light of the Clubhouse john, he came to the realization that the young, nubile sweetbutt he currently had bent over the sink was actually an aging former showgirl from Reno named Wendy Case. The fact that he knew her name, occupation, and place of origin was a clear indicator that this broad talked too fuckin' much. He didn't need to know all this shit about her. What he did know was that, at 28, she was older than he preferred his pussy, but as he had learned earlier, she could probably suck a bowling ball through a garden hose. That was a talent honed through experience and Kyle decided to hold onto her for now or until something better came along.

With his arm around her shoulders, Kyle led Wendy over to a group of sweetbutts and pass-arounds who were busy watching Jax fight Kozik, the SAA from the Tacoma charter, in the final bout of the night. It was unbelievable to Kyle that Teller had made it this far. Although it was plainly obvious that Jax had youth and the fact that he was built like a brick wall working for him, Kyle chose to believe that Zeus and Quinn had thrown the fights in deference to the Prince of Charming. Kozik was putting up a noble effort, but he too would probably give in and let the boy wonder walk away totally undefeated.

The bickering among those waiting to snag a piece of Teller was getting decidedly more cutthroat and vicious with taunts of "crab-infested slut", "cum dumpster", and "scabby heifer" being thrown around. Kyle laughed to himself as he knew that they were probably fighting each other in vain. Jax was completely and thoroughly whipped by Jolene. It was plainly obvious that, even if he had not been tapped to fight tonight, Jax had no interest in the scantily-clad pussy that had paraded itself around him today. Every free moment he had between training sessions with Chibs, he had spent on the phone, checking on his old lady.

"I hate to see such beautiful ladies disappointed," Kyle started, his voice devoid of any sincerity. "But you're wasting your time. Might as well set your sights on someone else to entertain tonight. Jax is on lockdown."

"What are you talking about?" A lovely brunette stripper with hair down to her slim waist and a big, round ass turned towards Kyle to ask.

"I guess the news hasn't made it this far. Jax Teller is officially off the market." Kyle explained.

"Really? Who's the skank?" His blonde stripper asked. Oh, she was his. He wasn't giving up on her yet, Kyle decided. "Is she here?

"No, but she has a long reach and I wouldn't go around calling the daughter of the mother charter's President a skank, if I were you, sweetheart." Kyle advised. "She's got SAMCRO wrapped around her finger and it probably wouldn't be good for your health or your looks."

"Well, she's not here and what she don't know won't hurt her old man none, right?" Wendy chimed in. "What happens on a run stays on a run."

"Sure, but not even Teller is stupid enough to taste what you have to offer in front of his President." Kyle insisted. "Especially since the only reason he's with Princess is to secure her daddy's patch for himself someday."

"Why? Is she ugly?" Another younger, thinner brunette asked, causing the others to laugh, except the one sweetbutt named Cherry, who had yet to open her mouth.

Kyle raised his eyebrows and nodded his head. "You could say that." He lied.

"Oh what a waste!" The blonde moaned as she turned back to watch Jax in the ring. "Fuck! The things I would do to him!"

Afraid that maybe, like Tig, Kyle was stockpiling pussy for himself, several members from other charters joined the group. Feeling empowered by his new captive audience, and with very little prodding from the girls, Kyle proceeded to share his theory about Jax's political aspirations within SAMCRO and his connection to Clay Morrow's daughter. Those members that knew or had seen Jolene in passing knew Kyle was full of shit. Even if she wasn't the Prez's daughter, that sweet piece of ass was a prime catch.

Lorca, the Tacoma charter's VP, shook his head in disgust as he left the group, grabbing Cherry for himself along the way. He's been a member of SOA long enough to know his brothers from Charming well, including Kyle. It was obvious to Lorca that Kyle Hobart was the only one with political aspirations. Outlaw bikers they may be, but get a select group of his brothers together, and they were worse than gossipy old biddies. Eventually, shit talk like that was going to get back to the wrong party and the fall out could have ugly consequences.

Making his way back to the Clubhouse with Cherry in tow, Lorca passed Opie as he was heading back to ringside with a six-pack of beer. Reaching out, he stopped Opie.

"I don't know if he's drunk, high, or just plain stupid," Lorca started. "But you might want to put a muzzle on your boy back there." He motioned towards the group he had just left behind.

"Kyle?" Opie asked, puzzled. Patch brothers they may be, but Kyle was hardly his "boy".

"He's talkin' shit about Jax and his old lady. Trying to convince anyone who'll listen that he's only with her to secure his spot at the head of the table. True or not, I have to believe that hearing shit like that's not gonna sit well with Clay."

Opie shook his head. "Brother, Clay's the least of his problems."

* * *

Out of the three bouts Jax had fought tonight, the one against Kozik was the one he thought he had no chance of winning. He was sure Tig would be disappointed to hear, but Kozik was in damn near perfect shape. He had taken punches that would have knocked out otherwise capable fighters, but more importantly, he threw a few that had Jax seeing double for more than just a few seconds. It was by far the longest bout, lasting nearly an hour. Although Jax knew he hadn't been in danger of losing just yet, he was grateful that he had managed to strike with a lucky blow that started at Kozik's eye and which ultimately landed on his nose, opening it up like a geyser. It wasn't the first blood spilled that night with Jax's right eyebrow split early on, making fighting through a haze of blood that much more difficult, but it was certainly the most dramatic. Kozik, who had fallen onto one knee, but managed to keep himself upright, threw his hands up in defeat as the blood and his throbbing nose proved too much to endure. Afterwards Jax would learn, much to Tig's delight, that he had broken the Tacoma SAA's nose.

Now, instead of celebrating his hard fought victories for SAMCRO and heading for a much-needed, bone-melting hot shower, Jax was out for true blood as he angrily confronted Kyle. Jax had wasted no time, breaking through the crowd of pussy that surrounded him and thumped Kyle on the chest with both fists, nearly knocking him backwards.

"In the ring. Now." Jax growled menacingly.

This was not how Clay wanted the situation handled because it was akin to airing SAMCRO's dirty laundry in front of other charters, but Big Otto had convinced him of Jax's need to put an end to Kyle's bullshit. Besides, with Jax still his intended target, Kyle was now taking potshots at his little girl. This he wasn't going to tolerate, but Jax was her old man and Clay had to defer to him on how he wanted to deal with Kyle. Clay knew Jolene and Donna would be making an appearance in Indian Hills within less than 10 hours and he couldn't let her walk into a Clubhouse where she had already lost the respect of the pass-arounds that she was entitled to as Jax's old lady. It was up to Jax to get that respect back for her.

Kyle smirked as he ripped off his shirt and had one of the sweetbutts wrap his hands in medical tape. He had spent the night with his dick inside one or more of the pass-arounds in one way or another. Jax had spent most of his night fighting to stay on his feet, throwing punches as well as taking a few that had left him bloody, bruised, and battle-fatigued. Kyle was confident that there was only one way for this to go down. Jax Teller had just handed him the opportunity to bring him down a peg or two, in front of their brothers, no less, on a silver platter.

* * *

Driving down the dark road leading to the Devil's Tribe clubhouse, Jolene could see that most of the parking lot had been converted into an impromptu boxing ring. The remainder of the lot was packed with drunken, rowdy bikers and hang-arounds cheering, with some waving wads of cash in the air as two bare-chested fighters pummeled the shit out of each other. Deciding not to block the several rows of bikes along the tree line running adjacent to the clubhouse, Jolene pulled around to the side of the building to park.

"Jesus Christ, Jo." Donna moaned as she watched the flurry of drunken, noisy activity outside the Clubhouse, including several scattered groups of half-naked women entertaining those not watching the fight. "Please tell me this isn't where we're spending the night."

"It's either here or that roach motel we passed about 20 minutes ago." Jolene replied. "That dump might as well have 'potential crime scene' flashing next to their vacancy sign." Even with the Glock Jax had stealthily put in her handbag before he had left this morning, Jolene preferred the safety she felt around an MC.

Stepping out of the car, Jolene's knees almost buckled after more than three non-stop hours behind the wheel. She was hungry, thirsty, and tired, but more than anything, she was looking forward to wrapping herself around her old man. She was in the process of stretching the kinks out of her back, thanks in part to Jax's antics the night before, when she noticed her dad barreling towards her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He growled.

Jolene smiled as she shook her head. She was going to rip her old man a new one just as soon as her father was done ripping her one.

"Jax didn't tell you we were coming?" Jolene asked. Noticing many unfamiliar faces already giving her the eye, she pulled her vest from the back seat and threw it on. Without one for protection, Donna was starting to see the benefit of a "Property of" patch as she felt like prey being circled by those waiting for Clay to move out of the way before they pounced.

"In passing," Clay started. Although he wasn't happy having his daughter on a run, especially after the Mayan welcome wagon that had greeted them near the border this morning, he didn't really have much say in what both Jax and Opie saw fit to do with their old ladies. "But I don't think even he was expecting you tonight, baby girl."

Jolene quirked an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. "So help me God, if I catch any dime store ho-bag anywhere near his junk, I'm gonna go apeshit." She muttered under her breath. Before Clay could say another word, Jolene planted a kiss on her father's cheek, and following the scent of grilled meat, she pushed past him and went on the hunt for some food. With her arm looped through Donna's, she led her friend towards a cluster of friendly faces that included Bobby.

"Whoa!" Bobby broke away from the group, stopping Jolene's progress and blocking her view of the ring. "What are you two doing here, Kit?"

Jolene was shaking her head. "I'm starting to feel unwelcomed." She replied.

"It's a legit question," Bobby continued. "Jax is gonna freak when he finds out."

"Only if he has short-term memory loss being that it was his idea." Jolene said. Bobby quirked an eyebrow at her disbelievingly. "We're supposed to head for Reno tomorrow, take a couple of days just for ourselves." She explained, not sure how much of their plan she should divulge as of yet. "We're starving. Can you please lead Donna to some food while I go look for Jax?" Jolene went to walk around Bobby and stopped dead in her tracks.

"What the hell is he doing?" Jolene whipped around towards Bobby.

"Kit, you should be proud of your old man," Bobby started. "Chibs took a vicious header off his bike today and dislocated his shoulder. Instead of letting the Club forfeit and lose a shitload of money, Jax took his place in the ring." He explained.

"Lemme guess? My overly-confident, yet mentally-challenged old man volunteered?"

"He didn't volunteer," Bobby assured her. "But Jax is nothing if not a team player. He knew he was the only one that could do it, so he stepped up when called on. He was 3-0 tonight, Kit and made SAMCRO a lot of money. This bout here, this one's just for fun." He smiled.

Turning towards the ring again, Jolene's eyes widened as the color drained from her face. Whipping around towards Bobby again, she looked about ready to rip someone to shreds. "Fun?" She was apoplectic. "That's Kyle he's fighting!" She pointed towards the ring.

"Yeah, they have some unresolved issues that needed taking care of ASAP. They decided to start the healing tonight." Bobby explained as Jolene gave him a look that said she didn't appreciate the humor. She knew all too well the issues Jax had with Kyle.

Leaving Donna behind with Bobby, Jolene pushed through the crowd and made her way ringside. She finally found herself standing in between Opie and Tig.

Feeling someone tugging on his cut, Opie turned his head, and then had to look down. "Jolene!" He called out, surprised. "We weren't expecting you 'til morning."

"No shit!" Jolene retorted her hands on her hips. "What the fuck is he doing, Ope? Has he lost his mind?"

"Doll, love makes even the most seasoned outlaw do stupid shit, but Kyle has had it coming for months." Tig started, almost yelling to be heard over the crowd. "You should be proud of your old man. He's doing this for you."

Opie was openly glaring at Tig over Jolene's head. Jolene's face was a contorted mask of confusion, but before she could question Opie, she became enthralled by the action in the ring. Jax, in all his glistening-with-sweat glory, was delivering blow after blow to Kyle. Every time Kyle prepared to throw a punch, he was stopped by a breathtaking fist to the midsection, followed by one to the ribs.

That had been the case the moment they had stepped into the ring. Kyle quickly learned that either he had severely underestimated Jax's physical condition or his anger because he was unrelenting. Unprepared for Jax's fury, Kyle struggled to gain his bearings as his teeth rattled with each body shot. All Kyle could manage to do was keep his hands up to protect his face. Pretty sure that Jax's last blow had broken a rib, Kyle was forced to bring his arms closer to his body. He soon learned what a mistake that move was as it left his face unguarded.

Jolene's eyes widened as if almost in slow motion she saw the feral-like look light up in Jax's eyes as he went in for the kill. His bandaged right fist connected with the left side of Kyle's face, snapping his head back and exposing his chin. Jax followed quickly with a left upper cut and the roar of the crowd was near deafening as Kyle staggered one, two steps back and one to the side before his knees buckled and he fell back onto the mat, one of his legs pinned underneath him in a painful-looking manner. The fact that he stayed in that position was all the confirmation Jolene needed. Her old man had just knocked Kyle Hobart the fuck out. Unable to control herself, she started jumping up and down, cheering as Uncle Jury hopped into the ring and pulled Jax's arm up in victory.

"Holy shit!" Jolene exclaimed. Losing herself for a moment, she jumped into Tig's arms. Noticing Tig grinning like a fool at almost being smothered by Jolene's ample boobs dangerously close to his face, Opie pulled her down and out of his grasp.

"That's what I'm talkin' about! That was fuckin' beautiful!" Tig was yelling. "Doll, you are in for it tonight. He's gonna fuck you blind after that shit!"

Remembering Tig's earlier comment, Jolene quickly turned to Opie, tugging his arm until his ear was close to her mouth. "What did Tig mean by he's doing this for me?"

Almost like he had picked up her scent, Jax searched the crowd circling the ring and saw Jolene with Opie and Tig. His heart pounding against his ribcage at the sight of her, Jax stopped long enough to spit on the piece of shit that was Kyle, or at least what was left of him, as he swaggered towards the ropes.

"Jolene!" He called out. Looking up at him with her bright green eyes shining with pride, Jolene grabbed onto his extended hand as he lifted her up and over the ropes and into his arms. Wrapping her legs around his lean waist, Jolene held onto fistfuls of his hair as she kissed him.

Pulling away, she held onto this face as she looked him over. Holy shit, she wanted to scream. He looked just like someone who had fought a total of four times in one night should look. He had a swollen and gashed cheek, bruises of all shades and sizes discoloring his handsome face, a shiner, and a split eyebrow held together with sterile tape, not to mention the painful-looking bruising along the left side of his body. "You are crazy as shit, Jackson Teller," She admonished. "But that was fuckin' awesome!"

Searching her face for any clue that she may have heard what had led Jax into the ring with Kyle in the first place and finding nothing, he smiled. "You saw that, huh? I wasn't expecting you 'til tomorrow."

"Yeah, that seems to be the general consensus around here." Jolene replied and dropped another kiss on his lips.

"I'm glad you're here, darlin'," Jax said, holding onto her gaze. "I need someone to tend to my boo-boos."

"Boo-boos?" She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Really? My poor baby." She cooed.

Jax laughed. "Yeah," He drawled. "And maybe you can do something about this mysterious ache in my pants that started the minute I laid eyes on ya." Smiling, Jolene shook her head as she rolled her eyes at him before wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tight.

Letting her go long enough to jump out of the ring, Jax grabbed Jolene by the waist and brought her down to his side. Before he could turn around, Tig was on him like white on rice.

"That was epic, bro!" Tig grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. Soon, Jax was almost swallowed up by a sea of leather eager to slap him on the back and congratulate him. Jax held on tight to Jolene's hand and even had to push a few brothers out of the way when it seemed like they were going to get separated in the crowd. With her arms wrapped tightly around his naked waist and his arm slung casually over her shoulders, they were finally able to break through and into a clearing where Clay, Big Otto, and Bobby were standing.

Jax shook hands with Clay first and then Bobby, as they exchanged a look that spoke volumes and that did not go unnoticed by Jolene. Grabbing Jax's hand and pulling him into a bro hug, Big Otto slapped Jax on the Reaper on his back.

"Now, that's how a man deals with bullshit. Proud of ya, Jax." Big Otto spoke into Jax's ear before letting go.

Realizing she had left Donna with Bobby, Jolene's eyes widened. "Oh crap! Where's Donna?" She looked around, knowing she was in for a mouthful from her friend for leaving her to stand alone in this crowd.

"She's fine. Her old man just scooped her up." Bobby assured Jolene.

"Jax, you want Chibs to take a look at that gash?" Clay asked, indicating Jax's split eyebrow.

"No," Jolene started, possessively. "I'll take care of him. I'll be right back." She stated as Jax reluctantly let her go and watched her as she headed towards her Mustang. Jolene was glad she listened to her gut and had packed a better-equipped first aid kit before leaving Charming.

Making sure she was out of ear shot, Clay turned back to Jax. "This thing with Kyle, it ended in that ring, right?"

Jax shrugged his shoulders. "As long as he's done talkin' shit, I'm done kickin' his ass."

"Well, not that I think you'd have a problem in that department, but keep your old lady occupied until you head out in the morning. With all the gossipy little chicken heads around here, shit's bound to get back to her." Bobby advised.

"You're hittin' the road tomorrow?" Clay asked, perplexed. He had known Jolene was coming. He had no idea they were going on a road trip. "Where to?"

"Reno. Just for a few days." Jax replied. "We'll be back before the Club heads back to Charming."

"Why Reno?" Clay asked, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"What's the matter, Clay? You afraid your little girl's coming back sporting a new piece of jewelry on her finger?" Big Otto teased and Jax smiled, a smile that did nothing to ease Clay's fears.

"Is she?" Clay asked

Jax shook his head, non-committal. "That's not the plan."

"That doesn't really answer my question, now does it?" Clay asked, sarcastically.

Jolene returned, the strap of the new nylon bag first aid kit slung over her shoulder and a backpack in her hand.

"To answer your question," Jax grabbed the heavy-looking backpack out of her hand and slipped his arm around her shoulders again. "No, she's not."

Sensing she was the "she" in this conversation, Jolene looked from Jax to her dad and back. "What am I not?"

"Eloping to Reno." Bobby replied, a cheesy grin on his face. He got a perverse joy out of torturing Clay.

"Oh," Jolene started, dejected. "I thought we were." She pouted. The look on the faces of those surrounding her could only be described as perplexed shock, especially Jax's. She too got a perverse joy out of torturing the men in her life. "I'm kidding. Jesus, Jax," She laughed. "You can start breathing again."

* * *

After making a quick once-around the Devil's Tribe Clubhouse, introducing Jolene to everyone, including Uncle Jury, Jax led Jolene to a room in the back that Jury had designated as his anytime he came to visit. Jolene smiled to herself as Jax had proudly made it a point to get the message across that Jolene Morrow was his old lady.

Using the scissors from her first aid kit, Jolene cut the bandages off of Jax's hands while he drank her in. She's beautiful, Jax smiled to himself. And she's mine. Catching the half grin on his face as he enjoyed the view of her cleavage offered by her fitted v-neck sweater, Jolene laughed. "I'd ask what's on your mind, but it's written all over your face."

Once she was done unwrapping his hands, Jax growled as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him, his mouth enveloping hers as she first gripped his muscular shoulders, then buried her hands in his damp hair, letting it loose from the small pony tail at the back of his head. He was sweaty and musky, but Jolene closed her eyes and inhaled his manly scent. She loved it. She loved the heat emanating from his finely muscled body. He was making her hot and before Jax could react, Jolene was ripping off her sweater and bra and was unbuttoning and pushing off her jeans. Unzipping his pants as he walked her backwards across the room, away from the bed, Jax pushed her against the wall and hoisted her up until she was impaled on his dick.

"Holy shit, Jax," She moaned into his ear, her hands balled up in his hair, her legs around his hips.

The adrenaline rush from the hurtin' he put on Kyle was still coursing through his veins and Jax fought to slow his pace as he pounded into Jolene like he was putting out a fire.

Sensing he was trying to control himself as he groaned into her hair, Jolene pulled his head back. "What's the matter, baby? Why are you holding back?" She was panting.

"Fuck, Jo, if I let go, darlin', you're gonna feel it all the way to Reno tomorrow." He breathed against her mouth.

"Yes, Jax! I need that right now, baby. You have no idea what seeing you in that ring tonight has done to me."

"You liked watchin' your old man beat the piss out of that asshole?" Jax kissed the side of her mouth as he continued moving inside her, his sore hands forgotten for the moment as he gripped her ass.

Jolene nodded. "Yeah, I did!" She gasped, and then smiled as Jax's thrusts got harder and harder. "My golden warrior was fighting for me." She whispered softly, almost too low to be heard over Jax's grunting, but he heard her.

"What was that, darlin'?" Jax stopped, his eyes searching her face.

"Huhmmm?" Jolene moaned, not realizing she had said anything. Her eyes were dilated pools of sea foam green, just one of many clues that she was close to her release. "Don't stop, baby, please." She kissed him, pulling his tongue into her mouth. Forgetting for the moment what she'd said, Jax picked up his pace again until he had her screaming at the top of her lungs. Both physically exhausted and spent, Jolene clung to Jax as he carried her to the bed, where they both collapsed wrapped in each other's arms.

Pulling herself up until her head was on a pillow, Jolene watched and waited as Jax struggled out his shoes and jeans, before crawling back into her arms. "I never thought it possible, but I think you wore me out, darlin'." He said, his eyes closed as he snuggled into the crook of her neck, his arm draped possessively across her hip.

"Me?" Jolene laughed as she stroked his damp hair away from his gashed eyebrow. "You've been operating with no sleep for over 24 hours, and what's this shit about you going all gladiator tonight? Fighting four times?"

"With Chibs out of commission, I had to, darlin', or the Club was going to have to forfeit, losing a lot of money." He explained, his voice gravelly with fatigue.

"Ok, but apparently I missed all that cuz all I saw was you rearranging Kyle's face. What the hell was that about, baby?"

Jax propped himself up on his elbow, his eyes wide open and intense. "You know what it was all about, Jo. His big, fat mouth keeps writing checks his ass can't cash." He started. "It's one thing when he starts stirring shit up in Charming, but he crossed the line bringing his garbage into the Clubhouse of a friendly MC. He's lucky that out of respect for Uncle Jury I didn't snap his fuckin' neck." Jax explained.

"He was talking shit about the Club? Here?" Jolene asked, the disbelief clear on her face. If that was the case, not only was Kyle stupid, but he had a big set of balls, which would explain why he would agree to get into a ring with Jax.

Shaking his head, Jax rubbed his face, running his free hand over the whiskers on his chin. "Not about the Club, darlin'." He replied, still unsure how much he should tell her.

Suddenly, and inexplicably, Jax was transported back to the Clubhouse kitchen the night of Jolene's birthday party. He chuckled to himself, hating that he was feeling honor bound by a horny promise made mostly in jest that he would give Jolene full disclosure as long as she was naked. Last thing he wanted was having Kyle's vicious and false rumors, designed only to reflect negatively on him, end up hurting Jolene in the process. Even with the beating Jax had laid out for him today, it was still a double win for Kyle. He succeeded in planting the seed of doubt among his brothers, regardless of how absurd it was, about the motives behind Jax's relationship with Jolene and, by using the women hanging around the Devil's Tribe Clubhouse to spread the gossip, he had guaranteed that the bullshit would eventually reach Jolene's ears. Better she heard it from him first.

"He crossed the line, Jo. He can try to bring me down all he wants, but when it comes to my loyalty and love for SAMCRO, he can't do it. My actions speak for themselves, so he attacks the one thing that is off-limits when it comes to Club politics." Jax explained and stopped.

"What?" Jolene pushed herself up onto her elbow facing Jax, her eyes wide. She brought her hand up to his face, tucking his hair behind his ear. "Us?" She almost whispered, surprising Jax. Jolene wasn't kidding when she insisted she knew the inner workings of the Club as good, if not better, than he did. Years spent on the outside people-watching had sharpened her ability to judge a person's character. Now as an old lady, she was proving to be second only to Gemma when it came to predicting their behavior as well.

"Is that why you took him to the mat?" She questioned. "He's full of shit, Jax and so not worth it." Jolene continued.

"No, he's not," Jax replied, his hand cupping her face. "But you sure as hell are, darlin'."

Rubbing his hand lovingly, Jolene smiled. "You have nothing to prove to me. I see what's in your heart written all over your face everyday. I know that in the beginning it was lust, pure and simple," She teased, forcing an almost self-conscious and embarrassed smile out of Jax. "But I saw the love creep in little-by-little, day-by-day, and now that's all I see. Who gives a shit what Kyle Hobart thinks?"

"I don't if you don't." Jax offered.

"I don't, but the rest of that statement's bullshit, Jax and you know it. Let it go. He only wins if you let him." Jolene insisted.

"Ok," Jax conceded. "I'm letting it go."

Jolene looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Bullshit! That was too easy." She said skeptically.

"I'd do anything for you, darlin'," He replied with a smile.

"Really?" Jolene asked, her eyes bright. Jax could see her wheels turning, which made him a little nervous.

"Within reason." He responded, throwing himself back onto the bed as Jolene pounced on him.

"No backsies, Jax!" She straddled his hips, her shiny black hair a disheveled halo surrounding her face.

Jax grabbed her hips to keep her from moving. "Grinding's cheating, darlin'." He insisted, his eyes wide. Shit, she was about to play him like a fiddle and he loved it.

"No grinding, I promise." Jolene crossed her heart. "I just wanna leave for Reno as early as possible tomorrow. We couldn't find a dress for Donna and I'm assuming Opie hasn't had time to buy the rings."

"I can't believe I'm saying this again, and it must be the spectacular view I have of your tits right now that's overriding my brain, but anything you want, darlin' is fine by me." Jax gave her a cheeky smile. Jolene grabbed the headboard to brace herself as she leaned forward and playfully smothered Jax with her breasts.


	12. Reno Wedding

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy** **.**

* * *

Jolene smiled to herself as she heard Jax's even and deep breaths as he slept. He was dead to the world and who could blame him? After his long, brutal night in the ring, they had arrived in Reno early in the morning the following day. While Jolene and Donna had run around town getting the final preparations for the wedding in order, Jax had spent most of the day getting some well-deserved rest after his victories for the Club, not to mention his personal victory over Kyle Hobart. He was sore and bruised up, but thank goodness, no broken bones. Too bad Kozik, with his broken nose and Kyle, with a couple of broken ribs, Jolene laughed to herself snarkily, couldn't say the same. Finished with her hair, Jolene pulled off the towel wrapped around her body and dropped it on the bed. She slipped into her underwear and was about to jump into her blue chiffon, one-shoulder Grecian-style dress when she heard Jax stir in the bed.

"Whoa, slow down, darlin'," He managed a lecherous smile even though he was still groggy from sleep. "I was enjoying the show."

"You're awake." Jolene smiled. "I was afraid you had slipped into a sex-induced coma." After spending the day with Donna, Jolene had returned to the motel yesterday afternoon and discovered a well-rested and wide-awake Jax eager for some "quality time" with his old lady. Needless to say, neither one had left the room since.

Jolene finished pulling on her dress and smoothed down the mid-thigh length hemline. Sensing the danger as she hovered over Jax to drop a kiss on his lips, she narrowly escaped as she dodged his sleepy grasp.

"Come here," Jax reached for her. "I've got morning wood."

"How is that different from afternoon and evening wood?" Jolene laughed. "I swear, I think you walk around with a permanent erection."

"I do and it's your fault, so you should feel sorry for me and ease my suffering, darlin'." Jax kidded, pulling himself up into a sitting position as he lit a cigarette. "It's not easy walking around like this all the time, considering the kinda heat I'm packing."

"And you're modest, too." Jolene teased. "Seriously, though. Get your ass up and into a _cold_ shower. We should have been ready 30 minutes ago. Don't want any runaway brides or grooms getting cold feet if we keep them waiting too long."

She sat down at the foot of the bed on Jax's side to put on a pair of dangling silver earrings, her head slightly tilted to the side, and her luxurious hair cascading over her shoulder, almost touching the bed.

"You look fuckin' gorgeous, Jo." Jax couldn't keep himself from saying. Jolene turned towards him and dazzled him with her beautiful, bright smile.

"And you have bed head." She kidded.

Jax laughed. "That's cuz I was thoroughly and awesomely fucked last night by someone who loves pulling on my hair."

"You're welcome." Jolene got up and dropped a kiss on his lips. "Now get up! We're gonna be late getting to the chapel."

Jax put out his cigarette and jumped out of bed. Jolene smirked. He wasn't kidding about the morning wood.

"Last chance before I jump in the shower." Jax offered, winking at her.

"Tempting, but you'll ruin my picture perfect hair. I might even forgo a helmet today."

"No you won't." Jax replied as he headed to the bathroom. "You could go without underwear, though." He slapped her ass as he passed her.

"Ow!" Jolene smiled, rubbing her butt cheek. "I know you'd love the easy access, but I can't do that." Jolene stated.

"And why not?" Jax pouted.

"If I have to get on and off the back of your bike today, I'd rather keep my muffin under wraps, if you don't mind."

"You mean _my_ muffin." Jax grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in for a kiss. "I only let you borrow it."

"Awww, you're such a romantic." Jolene smoothed down his wayward hair. "Now, stop trying to poke _your_ muffin and get into the shower." She pushed him away and gave his bare ass a resounding smack as he turned.

"Oh, you are in so much trouble, darlin'." He laughed, pointing a finger at her. "Once we ditch the newlyweds, you're gonna get it and I'm gonna give it to ya." He threatened good-naturedly, before slamming the bathroom door and jumping in the shower.

* * *

Watching Opie pace back and forth in the vestibule of the Arch of Reno Wedding Chapel was making _Jax_ nervous.

"I don't think the good Reverend Lovejoy back there's gonna appreciate you wearing a hole in his carpet." Jax observed as Opie appeared to get more and more agitated as the minutes ticked by like hours, at least as far as Opie was concerned. Even in the air-conditioned chapel, Opie could feel his sweat pooling under his arms, leaving pit stains in his pressed white-collared shirt underneath his cut. Jax chuckled to himself at the look on Opie's face, which could only be described as panicked elation bordering on murderous rage. "Bro, will you calm down?"

"I'll calm down when I see Donna." Opie replied. "She was supposed to be down twenty minutes ago, Jax. How long does it take a broad to get dressed?"

"Are you kidding? Jo had at least an hour head start on me this morning and I was still ready before she was finished putting on her make-up." Jax clapped his best friend on the back. "Look, Donna's right upstairs, getting ready. She's not going anywhere. She just wants everything to be perfect, especially since she's pissed at me for ruining your wedding pictures with my banged up face. Relax and let's go outside, grab a smoke. She'll be down before ya know it, so let's enjoy your last moments of freedom, a'ight?"

"Yeah, you're right, brother." Opie said, letting himself be led outside where they each lit up a cigarette. "These pre-wedding jitters are killing me. I haven't slept or eaten in the last two days and my nerves are shot."

"You better not let that get around the Clubhouse." Jax said and they both laughed. Opie was grateful having his best friend there as his best man. No one else would ever understand what he was going through. "Look, brother-to-brother, are you sure you're ready for this? Marriage? A baby? That's some intense shit, each on its own, man, but everything happening all at once?" Jax asked. He knew Ope loved Donna and was happy about the baby, but he wouldn't be doing his job as best man if he didn't ask. Besides, it would take Opie's mind off whether Donna was trying to climb out a second story bathroom window.

Taking a long drag from his cigarette, Opie nodded his head. "Jax, I've been ready for this for a long time." He started, exhaling a large plume of blue smoke. It wasn't regret that had him tied up in knots. He was worried that maybe Donna was having second thoughts. "Donna's close to her family. I just don't want her regretting doing it this way."

"She won't, man." Jax encouraged. "Donna lights up the minute you walk into the room. She loves you, bro. Her parents will come around and if they don't, she's gonna have more family than she bargained for with SAMCRO."

"Don't tell her that shit!" Opie laughed. "But if there's an outsider alive that can handle it, though, it's her. She's all spine, that woman. Even after I came clean about the Club, she stuck it out. Let me knock her up." He smiled. "I need her in my life, Jax. I need her to keep me sane and whole. I would do anything to keep her, to be the man that gets to love her and protect her. I'm sure you know the feeling."

"Yeah, I do." Jax smiled, thinking of his beautiful Jolene. If he could, he'd travel back in time and kick his own ass for almost not giving them a chance to happen and letting her slip away. "You got her now, bro and, if it'll make you feel any better, I can go stand at the back entrance, tackle her if she tries to make a run for it." He kidded.

Suddenly, the chapel's wooden front door flew open and there was Jolene. "Oh, thank God!" She put her hand over her rapidly beating heart. "I have a pregnant bride on the verge of a nervous breakdown thinking she just got stood up at the altar."

"Oh shit!" Opie threw down his cigarette and rushed into the chapel, past Jolene.

Seeing her "picture perfect" hair now pulled back into a messy chignon, Jax smiled at how frazzled she looked. "How ya holding up, darlin'?" He entered the chapel and grabbed onto Jolene, his hands on her hips, slowly inching their way dangerously low on her ass.

She smiled as she used her hands to fan away the light sheen of perspiration on her forehead. "Better now that I found Ope. Shit, I thought eloping was supposed to be less stressful." Jolene replied.

"It is, for all the lucky assholes that aren't here." Jax shook his head, his eyes wide. "I could use a drink or two."

"Or seven." Jolene agreed.

* * *

The chapel was pretty much what one would expect from a quickie wedding chapel in Reno. The pews on either side of the room were barely wide enough to accommodate two and the aisle was covered by a red carpet that had seen better days. It's not a horrible place, Jolene thought to herself. She had only wished she had been able to talk the Reverend's wife Rosalind into ordering real flowers to decorate the altar with, instead of the dusty silk ones on display now. Rosalind, who looked to be about 30 years younger than the Reverend refused, claiming that it was too late to order fresh flowers in time without paying a hefty price. Jolene had a feeling that they were being suckered into coughing up more dough. She had been willing to go to bat for Donna by throwing a Gemma-like tantrum she had been holding up her sleeve for moments like these, but Donna had begged her to let it go, afraid Jolene would get them banned from the Arch of Reno Wedding Chapel the day before her wedding.

After getting the bride and groom to reconnect after Donna's near meltdown when they couldn't find Opie, Jax and Jolene were now standing at the altar, each on either side of the elderly Reverend Lovejoy as Opie and Donna stood before him clasping hands. The Reverend was addressing them, reading a poem about love, strength, and fidelity from a book he held in his slightly shaky hands, as Opie drank Donna in. She was a delicate vision in a beautiful yet simple white organza gown with a sweetheart neckline and a chin length tulle veil draped over the curls in her hair that had taken Jolene forever to get just right.

Feeling the love rolling off of her dear friends, Jolene was smiling to herself, Jax noticed. As was normally the case, Jax could never bring himself to focus on anyone else when she was in the room, no matter what was going on. She was holding two small bouquets of roses, hers red and Donna's white, but every so often she'd bring a delicate, well-manicured index finger up to her nostrils in an effort to stifle a sniffle. Jax, standing with his hands clasped by the wrist in front of his cut, couldn't help but smile at his sentimentally sweet old lady. Almost like she could feel his eyes focused on her instead of the ceremony, she looked at him to nod towards the happy couple and get him to focus on what was being said. Instead, with their eyes clashing, Jolene could see a multitude of unspoken promises in his gaze as he silently mouthed "I love you" at her. Jolene smiled before mouthing back "I love you more."

"Dear friends," the Reverend snapped his book closed, breaking the spell Jax and Jolene had put each other under, refocusing them on Opie and Donna. "Out of affection for Donna and Harry, you have gathered here today to witness their mutual vows, which will unite them in marriage. To this moment, they bring the fullness of their hearts as a treasure to share with one another. They bring their dreams, which will bind them together. They bring that particular personality and spirit which is uniquely their own, out of which the reality of their life will grow. We celebrate with them this union of hearts, a union created by friendship, respect, and most of all love, and now we will witness as they put into words the love and devotion they have for each other." He recited with his frail hand over his heart.

Donna was beaming, her eyes wide, blue pools as she looked up at Opie. "Today, Opie, I join my life to yours, not merely as your wife, but as your friend, your lover, and your confidant. Let me be the shoulder you lean on always, the rock on which you rest, the heart in which you will always find solace and love. Let me be the companion of your life, as with you I will ride my path through life, with the wind whipping through my hair, from this day forward and will remain faithful to you all the days of our lives." She gave his hand a light squeeze. Jax stole another glance at Jolene, a slight smile tugging on his lips again as she desperately tried to blink away the tears already dangerously close to falling.

Hardly believing that they had made it to this point, Opie closed his eyes and took and a deep breath. "Donna, I can't put into words how much I love you. You've seen me at my best and my worst and in spite of it all, here you stand before me. In your hands you are truly holding my heart and my heart will be yours forever. I am so happy to take you as my wife and to have you as the mother of my children. Your heart is pure and I know you will be the perfect and loving mother that they deserve, the kind of mother I had always wanted for myself, which is why I will _always_ love you and protect you and our children forever. I love you more than my Harley." He smiled, provoking a raised eyebrow from the Reverend. "I love you more than my leather, and I promise to take you anywhere we can ride on two wheels, so please hold onto my heart and ride with me, always and forever.

"May I have the rings, please?" Rev. Lovejoy smiled.

Turning to Jax, Opie's eyes grew wide as Jax patted his cut and his pants' pocket before cocking a grin at Opie and pulling from his back pocket a small black velvet box. Opening it, he passed it to Opie. Pulling his ring for Donna before she got the chance to see it, Opie offered her his, a simple but heavy gold band, to hold.

"Do you, Harry Winston, take Donna Lerner to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do." Opie beamed as he gently slipped the delicate diamond encrusted gold ring on Donna's third finger. Donna gasped, her free hand holding Opie's ring flying to her mouth.

"Do you, Donna Lerner, take Harry Winston to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." She almost whispered, the tears in her eyes almost blinding her as, with her hands trembling, she put the ring on Opie's finger.

"May your love grow ever stronger as you share your lives together and may your future be even more wonderful than you ever dreamed possible. You have made your promises and exchanged your rings. By the power vested in me by the State of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your beautiful bride!"

Without hesitation, Opie swept Donna into his arms. With Jax and Jolene watching, as they reached for and grasped each other's hand, their near-lifelong friends enjoyed their first kiss as Mr. and Mrs. Harry Winston.

* * *

Clay had met with Jury early in the morning the day the Club was to head back to Charming. With the distribution of the Irish hardware complete, Jury and the Tribe had proven to be an asset to SAMCRO in Northern Nevada. With their various strip clubs, brothels, and bars throughout Indian Hills and local law enforcement on the Tribe's payroll, and the city council president's passion for the young and nubile catered to, Clay and Jury discussed ways for both clubs to mutually benefit from a partnership. Shaking on it, both MC Presidents made a promise to keep in touch should there ever be a need for hardware in these parts, with a hefty finder's fee attached.

By the time Jax and Opie pulled into the Devil's Tribe parking lot, most of the SOA charters had already hit the road with their share of merch. Jax pulled up along side Jolene's Mustang. Sliding the backpack's handles off her shoulders, Jolene let the bag fall on the ground before she jumped off and removed her helmet. Jax quickly removed his and, still sitting on his bike, made a grab for Jolene before she headed inside.

"Past three days were fuckin' awesome, darlin'." Jax smiled as Jolene rubbed the hair on his face with both hands before tugging on his goatee, bringing his lips to hers. "Owww!" He laughed as Jolene enveloped his mouth.

"You know the minute we step foot inside that clubhouse, it'll be back to reality for the both of us." Jolene started and Jax nodded. "I kinda liked having you all to myself."

"Me, too." Jax ran his hand through her silky hair. "When does school start up again?" He asked.

"Day after Labor Day." Jolene replied, draping her arms over his shoulders.

"That's next Tuesday, Jo." He stated, the disappointment clear in his voice.

"I know, baby. I'm not happy about it either, but we'll just have to make the most of our time between now and then." Jolene stated.

Letting his hands fall to her waist, Jax searched Jolene's face. Through narrowed eyes, she realized he had something to say, but was looking for a way to say it. "What is it, baby?" Jolene cupped his face in her hands.

He had been thinking about talking to her about this since the day before. The thought had popped into his head during Donna and Opie's wedding. What he was going to ask, he had requested of only one other woman before and, even though it had meant the world to him at the time, it had not been enough to keep her in Charming. Jax had convinced himself in Reno to wait, but arriving at Uncle Jury's, Jax realized that every charter had taken off with the exception of Tacoma, which meant Happy was still around. Taking it as a sign, Jax grabbed Jolene's hands in his and smiled.

"Jo, you know how I feel about you, right?" He asked before kissing her fingers, the memory of her caresses seared into his soul.

Jolene smiled. "I do, but I love hearing it as often as possible."

"How about seeing it, any time you want, even when I'm not around to tell ya?" Jax asked. Letting go of his hands, Jolene suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged herself tightly against his body, her eyes welling up with tears.

"You want me to get inked with your crow?" She almost whispered, the sensation of her warm breath against his ear sending shivers down his spine.

Snaking his arms around her waist, Jax squeezed Jolene to the point he was afraid he was hurting her. "Yeah, I do, darlin'."

* * *

The sound of incoming bikes had roused the few remaining party stragglers from the night before, including Wendy, who had lingered behind in hopes of catching a ride out of town with someone, anyone. Had she known Jax Teller had planned on heading to Reno a few days back, she would have asked to hitch a ride, but according to Kyle, Jax had taken his old lady with him. Wendy didn't remember seeing Jax with any old lady, even though several of the girls swore she had made an appearance on fight night. Jax and his friend Opie had left early the following day, too early for Wendy or any of her cohorts to actually witness the so-called SAMCRO Princess, Jolene Morrow. She had heard rumors that Jax would be returning some time today to ride back home with his Club. Maybe she could cop some alone time with Jax and convince him to let her hitch a ride on his bike. Kyle had all but tossed her aside after his fight with Jax, preferring the company of Kasey, the blonde stripper that had finally taken pity on him and spent the next few days nursing him back to health. Nothing new there. Wendy had grown accustomed to being used and forgotten by the many men who had passed through her life. However, as cranked-out of her fucking mind as she was, Wendy believed that Charming sounded like a fairytale place, the place in which she believed she was destined to turn her life around.

During the past three days, Wendy had hooked up with her fair share of bikers, Sons as well as the Tribe. Each one had blown her off as soon as they had pulled up their pants and she started talking about turning her life around in Tacoma, Tucson, or wherever they happened to be from. Even though she hadn't spoken to Jax Teller or been anywhere near his orbit on fight night, she could see he was different from all the others. There was no mistaking he was an outlaw, as evidenced by the holster he wore under his cut and the KA-BAR he kept strapped to his right leg, but he looked like what she would imagine the Prince of Charming to look like, even though she was sure Kyle was being condescending when he called him that.

Wendy was sitting at one of the high-top tables in the back of the room, facing the bar, and had a clear view of the entrance when Jax sauntered in with his arm draped over the shoulders of a raven-haired beauty with the most striking green eyes she's ever seen. Wendy's back stiffened. The girl didn't look familiar. Wendy was sure she would have remembered seeing her around the Clubhouse these past few days. Laughing softly out loud to herself, Wendy was sure as hell that was _not_ his old lady, Clay Morrow's daughter. She was way too gorgeous to share the same DNA with the SAMCRO Prez, who looked a few chromosomes shy of dragging his knuckles on the ground.

"That's her." Paulette, one of Jury's hookers, nudged her arm as she climbed onto the chair next to Wendy. It was pathetic, but Jax Teller's elusive old lady had been the hot topic of conversation among the sweetbutts and pass-arounds these past few days. Some had claimed to have seen them together, with others claiming to have heard from other Club members that she wasn't the mutt Kyle had made her out to be.

"What?" Wendy crowed disbelievingly. "You're fuckin' with me." She said as she watched the bar come to life with drinks being passed around. Clay, his VP, the fat one everyone called Bobby Elvis, the scary one with the crazy eyes, and the Scotsman were all clapping Jax's friend on the back, toasting him and a petite brunette he held against his side possessively.

"Nah," Paulette was shaking her head as she took a drag from her long, thin cigarette. "Heard it from Jury himself. He loves Jax Teller like a son and was going on and on about his old lady. How beautiful and smart and funny she was. I swear, Kyle's an asshole. He's probably just jealous someone snagged her before he had the chance, cuz if she's ugly, than that weave of yours is made from real hair."

"Hey!" Wendy protested, patting down her highlighted extensions with fingers tipped with talon-like red acrylic nails. The lady at the salon swore no one would be able to tell the hair was synthetic. Wendy turned her attention back to the bar just in time to see the young woman Jax had walked in with wrap her arms around Clay Morrow's midsection as he grabbed her hand and playfully looked at her ring finger before giving her a tight squeeze and a kiss on the forehead.

"See," Paulette nodded towards them. "Told ya."

"Just cuz Clay Morrow hugged her doesn't mean he's her father." Wendy protested.

"He better be." Paulette insisted. "Honey, I've been around the MC world long enough to know that old ladies are off-limits. Unless a man's related to her, old ladies don't exist unless she wants to be the reason her old man ends up fuckin' up one of his own club brothers. That's her daddy and Jax Teller is her old man, so if your plan was relocating to Charming, find yourself another Son to latch onto."

Wendy pulled a cigarette out of her pack and lit up. "Even is she is, look at her! She's too fuckin' young." She was incredulous. "And look at him! What can she possibly know about satisfying a man like that? She's just a baby."

Paulette shrugged her shoulders. "He don't seem to be complaining, or looking for someone to take care of business." They watched as Jolene slipped onto the bar stool with Jax standing in front of her. He couldn't keep his hands off of her face, her hair, even copping a furtive feel as he alternated whispering in her ear and nipping at her lobe as she laughed.

"Bullshit," Wendy said. "I betcha the minute the old lady's away, he's gonna wanna play." Of that she was certain. What made Jax Teller different from any other man when it came to their dicks?

Paulette jumped off her stool. "Hey, it's your funeral." She muttered under her breath as she strutted across the bar and disappeared to the back.

* * *

There were three things Jolene was quickly learning about pregnant women: they had no shame when it came to farting, they ate a lot, and they peed even more. After spending 20 minutes digging through the Tribe's bare-bones kitchen for something for Donna to eat, Donna was now dragging her back to the bathroom. In spite of their marriage announcement, Donna still wasn't comfortable navigating around an MC clubhouse by herself. She would get to that point, Jolene assured her. Opie was a beloved member of the Club. His father was First 9. His brothers would watch out for her and protect her as they did Gemma, Luann, and now Jolene.

After making sure Donna had emptied her bladder for the last time before their trip back to Charming, Jolene was making her way back from the hallway bathroom and entered the bar area looking for Jax. Stopping dead in her tracks, Donna bumped into her from behind nearly knocking them both over.

"What happened?" Donna asked, her hands instinctively hovering over her yet-to-make-an-appearance baby bump.

Jolene, hand on her hip, nodded over to the bar. "Take a look at this shit." She said through clenched teeth, pointing at Wendy, who practically had Jax pinned against the bar.

"Holy shit, Jo!" Donna exclaimed in a loud whisper, shocked not only by what she was seeing, but also by the fact that Opie was just shaking his head with a slight grin on his face as he sipped his beer.

Lounging at a small table by the entrance having a last round of beers before hitting the road, Tig nudged Happy and pointed at Jolene. "Incoming." He laughed.

Looking towards Jolene as she stood seething at the door, her chest causing a distraction as it heaved, Happy raised one eyebrow. "What's going down, brother?" He asked in his gravelly voice.

Tig chuckled. "I'll tell you what's going down. There's about to be a 'ho down in about 30 seconds." He exclaimed, patting the pockets of his cut. "Damn, where's my phone. This shit right here is bound to be a Kodak moment."

"Come on," Wendy offered, trying to entice Jax into having a drink with her. "Just one beer." She was standing too close and Jax was trying to put her off without losing his temper.

"I have a beer and I'm not interested in anything else, ok?" Always the outlaw gentleman, Jax tried putting her down easy, but the bitch wasn't taking no for an answer.

Running her hand along the front of his cut and down his arm, Wendy threw Jax a wink and a smile. "How about something else, off the menu?" She offered knowingly. "Anything at all." She said. Jax was about to lose his shit as her hand was about to connect with his junk, when Wendy suddenly jerked forward, her head slamming face first onto the bar. Jax and Opie, with his beer stopped in midair, halfway to his mouth, watched as Jolene yanked her backwards and kicked her feet out from underneath her, causing Wendy hit the ground with a thud, minus a few hair extensions.

Slightly horrified and equally mesmerized by his wildly beautiful old lady, Jax watched as Jolene threw the locks of synthetic hair on the floor and proceeded to straddle Wendy, her small, balled up fist connecting with her cheek. Suddenly, the bar came to life with catcalls and whistles as Wendy tried desperately to cover her face, which only opened her up to body blows, and Jolene was not above punching a fellow female in the tits. Doing a fair imitation of Jax's fighting style, Jolene landed several one-two combinations to her upper body before grabbing Wendy by the hair again. Recovering from his initial shock, Jax stepped forward to pull Jolene off the clearly overpowered Wendy, only to be held back by Big Otto.

"Whoa, Jax, hold on." Big Otto advised, shaking his head. "There needs to be an understanding in place in order for this to work out for you two, brother. She stays out of Club business and you stay out of old lady business. This right here is old lady business, so just let it happen."

Clay nudged Opie. "You should be taking notes." He pointed towards Donna, who was cheering her friend on. "You step in only if the cops are involved or if it's obvious that your old lady is outmatched. In this case though, my baby girl seems to have it under control." Clay smiled, his ever-present cigar clenched between his teeth. "You don't wanna get caught in the middle of that shit, get taken down by your old lady in front of your brothers."

Grabbing Wendy by the collar of her off-the-shoulder blouse, Jolene pulled her face-to-bloody-face. "In case we haven't been introduced, I'm Jolene Morrow, Jax Teller's old lady." Jolene practically growled. "If you're bad with names, just remember my face. I'm the one without a scratch, bitch."

Throwing Wendy back onto the floor, Jolene pulled herself up. With her jaw clenched and fire still in her eyes, Jolene slowly surveyed the area around the bar, making sure she made eye contact with each and every remaining sweetbutt and stripper, her deadly, sea foam green glare causing more than a few to scatter like cockroaches.

"Fuck!" Jolene muttered under her breath, realizing just a tad too late that she'd just gone bat shit crazy in the Clubhouse of a friendly MC and in front of her old man's Prez and VP. Running her hand through her hair, Jolene meekly approached Jury. "I am _so_ sorry, Uncle Jury. I don't even know where that came from, but I don't think it'll happen again."

"I'm sure it won't." Jury smiled at Jolene before pulling her in for a fatherly hug. Shit, JT's boy has his hands full with this one. Turning to Clay, Jury laughed, "She's your kid alright."

Smoothing down her hair and her clothes, Jolene turned to Jax. "I'm gonna go load up the Mustang, ok?"

Looking at her with a raised eyebrow and a suppressed grin, Jax nodded. "Sounds good, darlin' . . . I love you."

"Damn right you do." Jolene whispered before nipping his bottom lip as she dropped a kiss on his mouth and headed out of the Clubhouse.

Donna walked up to Wendy, who was still on the floor and bleeding profusely. Shaking her head, she looked at her and then up at Opie. With a big, ol' grin on her face, Donna turned and followed Jolene outside.

Grabbing Opie by the shoulder, Big Otto laughed. "Shit, brother, with Jolene as her mentor, I think you've just been warned."

Practically running up to Jax, Tig clapped him on the back. "That was so fuckin' hot, you lucky son of a bitch!"

"Somebody get this one some help," Jury directed at one of his girls standing shell-shocked behind the bar, indicating Wendy. "And then get her out of here."

"Shit, Jury, I think we just found the main event for the next fight night." Bobby kidded.

"That 'lil package can sure throw a mean punch." Happy observed from across the room. "You should be proud." He directed at Jax, raising a glass of whiskey and, in a primal, animalistic kinda way, Jax was.


	13. Shiska Balls

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

It was almost 10:00 when Jax, Opie, Happy, and the Prospect pulled into the T-M parking lot. The garage had closed hours ago and the office was dim, meaning Gemma had already gone home, probably dragging Jolene along with her. That would fucking suck, Jax thought as he backed his bike into his usual spot. With him gone on what was supposed to be a 4-day run to Tacoma, Gemma and Clay did not like Jolene spending nights at the Clubhouse alone. Although he had wanted to surprise her, Jax now realized that maybe he should have called Jolene to let her know he was cutting the run short by a day.

The Tacoma charter had requested help with their relay transport of Mac 10s from Charming to Washington to Canada and Clay had put Jax in charge of logistics, for the 5% bump in SAMCRO's share of the profits. Jax was all about the Club and never questioned the decisions made at the head of the table, but his expanded duties within the Club hierarchy were keeping Jax exceptionally busy right here in Charming. As much as Jax loved the Club, he loved his old lady more and every free moment with his girl was too important to waste. Jax couldn't shake the feeling that Clay was testing him in some regard with these out-of-state extended runs, as if he was pushing him to decide which side of his life was more important: the Club or Jolene. The son-of-a-bitch needed to understand that both sides made him who he was, made him whole. He wasn't about to let anyone force him to choose a priority one way or another.

So Jax and the newly-wed Opie had sucked it up and headed to Tacoma. Jax had planned and mapped out the logistics regarding delivery of the shipment from Charming and had even participated in the transport. Now it was time for Tacoma to earn their share of the profits by making sure the Mac 10s got to their destination in Canada. His job was done. Jax had taken care of his shit and staying one more night to celebrate was not a priority. He had better ways to celebrate back in Charming with his old lady.

"It's lookin' dead 'round here, bro." Happy said gruffly, taking in the lack of activity outside the Clubhouse as a bad sign. Jax knew Hap was still sore about being dragged away from the pussy and booze orgy that was undoubtedly being served up tonight in Tacoma, but Jax could hardly bring himself to give a shit. It had been Clay's idea having the Tacoma Killer ride back to Charming for extra protection. After their return from the Indian Hills run, Marcus Alvarez had requested a sit-down with Clay. He accused the Sons of running guns through Northern Nevada, which was Mayan territory and demanded a vig. Clay had laughed in his face and denied the accusation, saying that Marcus couldn't prove shit, and Clay had refused to pay the vig. Now the Club was living under the threat of Mayan retaliation for the Indian Hills incident. Mayan troubles aside, and for purely selfish reasons, Jax needed Happy back in Charming to finish Jolene's tattoo.

Jolene was standing at the counter opposite the stove, with her back to the door, chopping veggies when Jax entered the kitchen. Leaning against the doorjamb, Jax brought his finger up to his lips to silence Bobby when it looked like the older man was going to greet him. Although they would be having a serious discussion later regarding her wardrobe choices while he was out of town, Jax wanted to enjoy the view of Jolene's round ass in her black hot pants for just a little while longer.

Looking at the two 5-lb bags of peppers still left on the counter, Jolene mentally cursed every single damn crow eater that was not here to help Bobby and Gemma prepare for Charming's annual end of summer festival, Taste of Charming. "Do you really need all these red peppers, Uncle Elvis? How much chili actually gets sold at these damn fundraisers anyway?" Jolene asked.

"Are you doubting the prowess of my secret recipe, Kit?" Bobby kidded.

"Never, but you should always leave 'em wanting more." Jolene put her knife on the cutting board. "Besides, if your idea was to distract me, it's not working. I still miss my baby." She said as she turned towards Bobby, yelping as she caught sight of the devil himself and ran across the room and into his arms. Grabbing her ass, Jax pulled her up against him and brought his mouth down to hers as her arms wrapped themselves around his head.

Putting down his wooden spoon, Bobby covered the pot of chili he'd been working on and turned off the stove. "I think I hear a beer calling my name. I'll leave you two alone for a minute." He smiled as he stepped around the grope fest that had suddenly erupted in his kitchen.

"You're home early." Jolene beamed as Jax's hands went from squeezing her ass up to her slim waist.

"I am." Jax confirmed with a sly smile as he gently nudged her across the kitchen until her back hit the counter.

Clearing a spot by not-so-delicately pushing the cutting board until it hit the ground, Jax lifted her up and onto the countertop. Jolene pulled off his Reaper Crew cap, tossing it aside, and fisted her hands in his hair as he first nuzzled, and then bit her tits through the material of the SAMCRO t-shirt she was wearing. With a breathy groan, Jolene wrapped her legs around his waist and Jax rejoiced in the sounds she was making. He had been longing to hear her moan his name since the moment he had left her side three days ago.

"I missed you." He breathed into her neck as his hands stealthily found their way up her shirt.

"I can tell." Jolene giggled, feeling him stiff against the inside of her thigh. "You ride all the way down from Tacoma sporting wood?"

"I always come prepared to the party, darlin'." He smiled as Jolene pulled him in by the hair, bringing their mouths together again.

Knowing Jax, he probably had every intention of nailing her right then and there. Pushing him away gently, Jolene smiled. "I have a surprise for you." She said.

"Can it wait, darlin'? I'm about to explode."

"Oh trust me, my surprise will definitely enhance the experience we are about to share." She teased. Jax looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Now he was curious.

"What is it, baby?" He pulled away slightly, his thumbs still playing with her tight nipples under her shirt.

"I got my tattoo finished while you were gone." Jolene started. Jax suddenly tensed up.

"What?" He asked, his jaw tight. Considering the delicate location of the tattoo Happy had started last week, Jax was on the verge of flipping the fuck out at the mere thought of another man anywhere near her pussy while he was out of town.

"Relax, baby." Jolene continued, reading his mind by the look on his face. "Ronnie came down from Seattle for a visit and she finished it for me. She did a great job, too." Remembering how Jax had hovered over Happy while he had worked on her crow tattoo, Jolene had thought it best to get it finished by the best female tattoo artist she knew. It may not fall in line with Club tradition, but it would at least keep Jax and Happy from taking it into the ring if Jax felt at all disrespected by his brother.

Jax remembered Ronnie. Veronica Armstrong and Jolene had been friends since grade school, before her father's job had relocated Ronnie's family to Washington. She was a pretty decent tattoo artist. As long as it got done, and as long as Ronnie wasn't now rocking a dick, Jax decided he was okay with her finishing the tattoo.

"Let me see it." Jax said, with a cheeky grin. He'd do anything to get her moving on taking her clothes off.

Smiling like the bad girl he knew she was, Jolene jumped off the counter. She pulled the waistband of her shorts down and peeled the dressing off her newly finished tattoo.

Jax groaned. "Nice," He smiled as he ran his hand over his mouth and down his chin, making sure he wasn't drooling. She had gone ahead and added in a dainty cursive "Property of Jax Teller" under the crow that was directly below her navel. If he got any harder, he was going to end up hurting himself. "Shit, baby, you know what seeing my name in such a naughty place makes me wanna do?" He asked. Playing along, Jolene shook her head, although she had a pretty good idea of what he was going to say. "Makes me wanna eat some pussy."

Yep, that was it, Jolene smiled to herself. "Mine?" She teased, her head cocked to the side.

"You know it." He grinned as he grabbed her by the arm and scooped her up and over his shoulder.

"Jax!" Jolene admonished, barely putting up a fight.

"I'd rather celebrate this occasion back in my dorm, darlin'." He said, playfully squeezing one of her ass cheeks, when what he really wanted to do was sink his teeth into it. He was heading out of the kitchen, when Jolene grabbed onto the doorjamb and stopped him.

"Me too, but do you have to make it so obvious that you're gonna fuck me senseless by carrying me around like a caveman?" She argued.

"Sweetheart, no one but me is ever gonna see my crow in your pants. I'm just making a statement." Jax explained.

"What? That you haven't evolved?" Jolene teased.

Jax put her down in front of him and held her face in his hands. "That you're mine." He pulled her in for a kiss that took her breath away and marked her as his forever. Pulling away, Jax grabbed her hand with the intention of walking her through the main room back to his dorm, but Jolene stopped him again and pulled him back.

"You're killing me, darlin'," He came pretty fucking close to whining that time, Jax noticed distastefully.

"Aren't you gonna carry me?" She smiled, batting impossibly long eyelashes at him.

"What I'm about to do is put you over my damn knee and smack that ass," Jax said with just a touch of seriousness, bending again to scoop her onto his shoulder.

"Don't be such a tease, Teller!" Jolene laughed as he carried her past Bobby at the bar and a Clubhouse full of members and hang-arounds on his way to his room. "You know I like it rough."

* * *

Sitting at her desk in the T-M office, cigarette in hand, Gemma was sorting through a backlog of paperwork. With Jolene taking courses full-time during the week, some times getting out of class as late at 10:00, the office had gone to shit. She had taken for granted how nice having Jolene around before college to help had been. With her Type-A personality, Jolene had at least kept the office and the inventory organized. Taking a last puff before stubbing out her cigarette, Gemma was shaking her head as she chuckled to herself. If she wasn't careful, she was going to end up sounding like Jax and Clay, whining about how little free time Jolene had to spend with her loved ones.

It was quiet on the lot and even though she missed her boys, Gemma was grateful for the peace and quiet that having the majority of the Club on the road had brought to the garage. Jax and Clay had been bickering lately over petty bullshit, but Gemma knew the underlying cause was their Jolene tug o' war. Her husband, the big bad biker, was just as quick to use his fists as he was to strike out against Jax in a passive/aggressive manner. Knowing how much his daughter loved Jax, instead of resorting to physical violence, Clay found every passive/aggressive opportunity to stick it to Jax and it was starting to piss her son off.

Although she understood and sympathized with Jax, Clay had every right and all the right reasons for keeping the Club as busy as possible. He was flushed with the success SAMCRO had been experiencing as of late and insisted on doing as much work as they could get, including the long runs. He had been a member long enough to know that lean times were always just right around the corner. Clay hadn't given it a second thought when he agreed to having the Club conduct several last minute protection runs of high-end electronics and computer equipment for Unser Trucking throughout NorCal, including Sacramento and San Francisco and now SoCal, as well.

Jax understood all that and was always an eager team player. Still, Jax had not been thrilled to find out that he was the unlucky bastard that was tapped to lead the 250-mile road trip south to Bakersfield. To make matters worse for Jax, his run was an extra freebie Clay was gifting Unser as a way to make up for Wayne's bullet-ridden truck after the Indian Hills run, an incident that had occurred over two months ago! Gemma could never acknowledge it as such, not even to her own son, but that was a major passive/aggressive "fuck you" on Clay's part.

About to throw the inventory ledger against the wall and set fire to the work orders mocking her from the inbox on the desk, Gemma cocked her ear as she heard the sound of a car peeling onto the lot.

"Gee, I wonder who that could be." She said sarcastically. Less than a minute later, Jolene strolled into the office, wearing her favorite fitted leather jacket, tight low-riding jeans, and a large messenger bag slung across her shoulders.

"Hey, Gem." She smiled, throwing herself into the chair next to Gemma's desk. "It's like a ghost town around here. Where is everybody?"

Gemma tossed her reading glasses on the desk and lit up another cigarette. "Piney's in the Clubhouse knee deep in Patron, I'm sure. A couple of the mechanics are on a repo run and I think Lowell is the garage somewhere."

"It's creepy seeing the lot so empty." Jolene remarked, missing the energy created by the playful banter and good-natured ribbing among the Club.

"Have you heard from Jax?" Gemma asked, not sure why because she already knew the answer.

"Yeah, talked to him this morning." Jolene replied with a unintentionally sly smile that spoke volumes. "He expects they'll be back some time tomorrow." She said, sharing as much as she was willing to about her sexy phone calls with her old man.

"Good." Gemma nodded. Realizing that it was barely after lunch time, she quirked an eyebrow at Jolene. "What are you doing here? Don't you have classes?"

"I did. I start early on Thursdays and my last class at 3:00 was canceled, so here I am, which is good because I wanted to talk to you about planning Donna and Ope's housewarming." Jolene replied. "And, before you know it, the twins will be here, so we need to plan her baby shower, too." She said, whipping out a pad of paper and a pen out of her bag.

"Well, aren't you little Miss Suzy Homemaker." Gemma drawled as she exhaled a plume of smoke.

Sensing a tad bit of hostility in her comment, Jolene tilted her head at Gemma. "Have I done something to piss you off?"

"Don't go getting your thong in a twist, sweetheart. I don't want you going all Indian-Hills-bitch-slapping crazy on me." Gemma started. "I think it's great you're taking your responsibilities as Jax's old lady seriously, but you need balance, Jolene. Being the HBIC in your man's life isn't always about fucking him on the regular, you know." She said knowingly.

Taken aback, Jolene laughed. "That's not what you and Luann said the night of my party. I'm still recovering from that tag-teaming session." She said snarkily.

"Well, baby girl, you turned out to be a really fast learner in that regard. You certainly don't seem to be lacking in the keeping-your-old-man-happy-and-satisfied department. Never thought there was a woman alive that could tame my slut of a son until you came along. The sex must be phenomenal!" Gemma exclaimed.

"Ok, ok," Jolene put her hand up. "I'm not discussing my sex life with you, so let's just get back to why you're pissed at me."

"I'm not mad at you. I'm glad that you're turning into the old lady I always envisioned for Jax and that I had always hoped would be an asset to the Club. You only see most of these old ladies at parties or Club gatherings. The majority don't take their role within the Club with such devotion as you or me. While part of your responsibilities include being there for your fellow old ladies like Donna, with school, the Club, Jax, you are spreading yourself too thin." Gemma advised. "Now that Donna and her mom have reconciled, talk to Mrs. Lerner about handling the housewarming, letting her know that we are here for her if she needs us. The baby shower is way down the line, so worry about that later. Focus on what's important, Jolene."

"I thought I was." Jolene replied, a little dejected.

"You are," Gemma conceded. "But you're new and you still have much to learn yourself with regards to Club politics. Your most important role, aside from taking care of Jax, is doing your part to keep SAMCRO whole, both in body and mind. That translates for all its members, but especially your old man. When was the last time you spent any time with him?" Gemma asked.

"Jax?" Jolene asked, confused. "We do the best we can, but between the Club and school—" Jolene started, but was interrupted by Gemma shaking her head.

"Not that _old man_." Gemma replied. "Your father."

"Dad?" Jolene said, surprised.

"Your dad isn't the type to wear his emotions on his sleeve, baby. I hope you realize that you mean the world to him." Gemma chastised.

"I know, and I love him, too. It's just there's always so much going on. I hardly get a minute to breathe, let alone spend time with Jax. Dad's got him and the Club on the road most of the time." Jolene implored.

"And you should be glad, Jolene because this prosperity is good for the Club, including Jax. You're too young to remember the lean years when the Club wasn't earning." Or the bloody times either, Gemma thought to herself. "There's a heavy burden on your father as President to do what's right for his Club, for his brothers. He's generating as much business as possible for SAMCRO and Jax is a big part of that. He and Otto rely on Jax more than any other member at that table. Just don't forget what's important to your father, too. He loves the Club, but he needs his family. He needs to see his baby girl more than just in passing. Got it?" Gemma said.

"I got it." said Jolene, putting her pad and pen away and getting up from her chair.

"Good, now onto the real reason I _am_ a little pissed." Gemma said, settling back into her chair. "I really am very happy for Opie and Donna, but eloping to Reno is not how we do things around here. At least not as far as you and my son are concerned. Your father has finally recovered from the bomb of you being with Jax. If the two of you decide to pull a fast one and elope, there's going to be major fall out." Gemma warned.

"I know Gem, you don't have to worry—" Jolene started, but was once again interrupted by Gemma shaking her head.

"There will be no getting knocked up, no eloping, and no hole-in-the-wall wedding. You two are SAMCRO royalty, Jolene and there is no way you are going to rob me and your father of seeing the two of you get married." Gemma pointed her finger menacingly at Jolene.

Jolene's eyes were wide, but she still couldn't help but smile. "Gem, that's so way down the line it's not even on my radar. I mean, Jax hasn't even—"

"You're damn straight it isn't. College first, marriage later, _then_ my grandbabies. I couldn't—I mean your father—couldn't take anything else. We clear?" Gemma demanded.

Jolene smiled at her mother. "Crystal."

"Good." Gemma stated. "Now, while I have you standing up, obviously doing nothing, can you please go into the garage and get Lowell? I can't make heads or tails out of the chicken-scratch he's written up on this pile of orders."

"Yes ma'am." Jolene mock saluted before heading out to the garage.

* * *

Jolene was sitting alone in the third floor waiting room area of St. Thomas. She and Gemma had been taking turns since the day before waiting for word on Lowell's condition. Jolene had not spent the night at the hospital, but she might as well have considering she had been unable to sleep. Finding a convulsing and seizing Lowell on the garage floor, next to the Buick he had been working on was an image she could not get out of her mind. By the time the ambulance had arrived, Lowell had stopped moving and was turning blue. His heart had stopped. Lowell was dead, even as the paramedics were rushing to get his heart beating again. When the defibrillator had failed, they stabbed his heart with a syringe filled with adrenaline. Almost instantaneously, Lowell gasped, his heart beating, but just as quickly, the seizures started again and he was foaming at the mouth. The paramedics had quickly lifted him onto a gurney and loaded him into the ambulance. Without even thinking twice, Jolene jumped in after him and rode with a still-seizing Lowell to St. Thomas' emergency room.

She felt a strange kinship to Lowell. They were both products of an almost-identical environment. They both had junkie moms who all but abandoned them once their fathers took off and both had been lucky enough to fall into Clay's hands when they did. Once her mom had given her up to CPS in Washington, Clay had stepped in and raised a daughter he had not even known existed before then. After Lowell's dad had disappeared, Clay had taken the 15 year old under his wing and, through mentoring, turned him into one of the best mechanics working at T-M. Unfortunately, Lowell had not been able to outrun the demons that had plagued them both growing up. Falling in with the wrong crowd in Lodi, Lowell had started using drugs. Clay had managed to scare him sober about a year ago, but he had apparently relapsed recently and ended up almost dying of a drug overdose in the garage of the man who had treated him like a son.

Aside from the T-M crew and Clay, Lowell had no family. That's why instead of sitting through a Humanities lecture that was sure to show up on the exam she was supposed to study for this weekend, Jolene was at St. Thomas. This scenario could just as easily have played out in her own life and, had she never come to Charming, more than likely, she would not have survived.

Checking the time on her cell phone, Jolene realized that Lowell's doctor was still doing rounds and would probably not have another update on his condition for at least another hour. Deciding she needed some caffeine, Jolene was about to press the button for the elevator when it suddenly dinged and the doors opened. Coming face-to-face with Jax, she felt a weight lift off her heart as he pulled her into his arms after stepping off the elevator.

"Hey, darlin'." He lovingly cradled her face with his gloved hands as he kissed her just like a man that has been on the road too damn long. Hugging him close, Jolene fought to contain the tears she had been on the brink of crying since yesterday afternoon, but had been too numb to.

"How's he doing, Kit?" Bobby asked once Jax let her go.

"He's alive." Jolene tried to sound upbeat. "He hasn't regained consciousness since he got here, so the doctor says it's too soon to tell whether he suffered any permanent damage after his heart stopped beating. He's undergoing sedated detox, so it might be a couple of days before his wakes up."

"So, what happened?" Tig asked, his brow furrowed. "I thought he was clean."

Jolene was shaking her head as she reached into her jeans pocket. "I thought so too, but apparently the doctor thinks it was a meth overdose. They found fairly new track marks between his toes."

"Instead of his arms." Jax said, nodding his head. "He was trying to hide the fact that he'd relapsed."

"Yeah, and I found this on the floor next to him." Jolene handed a small, empty dimebag to Jax.

Looking at the stamp on the bag, Jax's nostrils flared. "Hairy Dog." He showed the bag to Bobby and Tig.

"Meth in Charming?" Bobby asked incredulously. "Who would have the balls and then to stamp it with the Hairy Dog logo?"

"Darby." Tig said confidently.

"The Hairy Dog _is_ a Nord hangout." Bobby reasoned.

Nodding his head as he ran his hand over the hair on his chin, Jax said, "Well, brothers, it looks like we're heading out on a drug run then."

With Tig and Bobby taking the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator, Jax turned to Jolene. "You okay, darlin'?" He asked and Jolene nodded, too nervous to speak. God only knew what kind of trouble they would find at the Hairy Dog. "Meet me at the Clubhouse in an about an hour, a'ight?"

Jolene nodded as she tried to smile. As Jax turned to follow Tig and Bobby after dropping a kiss on her lips, Jolene reached out and grabbed his arm. "Be careful, baby."

Throwing her a wink with a slight smile, Jax headed down the hall and disappeared into the stairwell.

* * *

Patsy had barely opened the Hairy Dog for lunch when Whistler and his crew sauntered in and set up shop in their usual darkened corner of the bar, commandeering the pool table, and basically scaring off his regulars who have been dropping in for their mid-day meal and beer for years. Patsy watched Ernest Darby's crew operate as he wiped down the counter with a bar towel and cursed his no-good son Frank. The son of a bitch had gotten himself into debt with Darby for a lot of money because of his crank habit. With no way to pay it off, his youngest boy was marked for death. Patsy was able to pay off a small portion of the debt, but Frank wasn't safe until all of it was paid off. With nothing else to offer, Patsy let the Nords deal out of the Hairy Dog, a business that has been in his family for over 60 years. Drugs in Charming were a risky business, Patsy knew, and it was only a matter of time before the shit hit the fan.

Patsy fought the urge to let his watery knees buckle as he heard the sound of motorcycles pull up outside. Even though they had been a part of the fabric of Charming for a very long time, the Sons of Anarchy never frequented the local bars. Something told Patsy, as he watched a tall, blonde menacing biker, followed by two equally fearsome counterparts, bust through the front door that the fecal matter was about to fly.

Barely moving from his spot at the pool table as he lined up a shot, Whistler turned his head slightly to look up at Jax, who was standing over him, arms crossed. The Aryan ink on his forearms identifying him as a Nord was all the confirmation Jax needed. Turning to Bobby, he motioned for him to toss him a pool cue from the rack hanging on the wall. As Jax caught it in mid-air, Whistler quickly straightened up, holding his stick with both hands in a fighting stance. Just as fast, Tig and Bobby pulled their Glocks from the holsters underneath their cuts. Bobby aimed his right at Whistler's head, as Tig swept the room back and forth, keeping Whistler's small crew of three from making a move.

"No one," Jax started, his voice low and gravelly. "Deals in Charming."

With one eye on Bobby and the other on Jax, Whistler put his cue down. Shrugging his shoulders cockily, Whistler shook his head. "I don't know whatcha talkin' about." He started. "And even if I did, who the fuck are you to stop it?"

Jax smiled as he casually flipped the pool cue over, the big, thick handle being the last thing Whistler saw coming at him as it connected with his face. Whistler's nose and mouth exploded on impact, blood spraying onto Jax as well as over the pool table and landing on Patsy standing in shock behind the bar, as Whistler hit the ground in a heap.

"I'm just a concerned citizen with a big fuckin' stick." Jax smirked. Holding the cue like a baseball bat, Jax proceeded to beat the living shit out of Whistler as he writhed on the ground. Together, Bobby and Tig, his face plastered with a big, shit-eating grin, held Whistler's crew at bay as Jax continued pummeling Whistler with the stick until it broke in two. Holding one half of the cue with the splintered part aimed at Whistler, Jax tossed the dimebag Jolene found in the garage at the man on the ground, moaning in pain.

"Tell Darby he's done dealing in Charming, or the next set of balls I'm coming for are his." With that, Jax impaled the jagged stick between Whistler's legs, causing Bobby to wince, with even Tig taken aback as Whistler's blood-curdling scream nearly shook the bar's rafters. Throwing the other half of the pool cue on the table, Jax turned and swaggered out of the bar.

With a chuckle, Bobby took one last look at Whistler. "Well, boys," He addressed Whistler's crew. "Looks like lunch is on us. Shiska balls, anyone?"

By the time Tig and Bobby nearly tumbled out of the Hairy Dog, both doubled over in laughter, Jax, with his helmet on, was sitting on his bike. "Can you two head back to St. Thomas and check on Lowell? I'm sure Clay will want a full report when he gets back." Jax said.

Swiping away the tears of laughter falling on his cheeks, Tig clapped Jax on the back. "Sure thing, brother. Where you headed to?"

"Clubhouse." Jax replied simply, before revving his bike and ripping down the street towards the other side of town. His adrenaline still pumping, Jax was in the mood for a proper homecoming from his old lady.

* * *

Jolene listened, with her head cradled on his chest, as Jax's breathing evened out, indicating he had fallen asleep. Typical man, she smiled to herself. Jolene shifted her weight gently, about to extract herself from his arms when he suddenly tightened his hold around her waist.

"Shit, darlin', I'm sorry." He started, apologizing for falling asleep after giving her a major pounding.

"It's okay," Jolene pulled his face towards her and kissed his mouth softly. "Go back to sleep. You look road weary, baby."

Jax was shaking his head. "Only if you stay with me, okay?" He almost whispered against her lips. He always slept better with her in his arms. Morbid he may be, but Jax was grateful that the Lowell situation had kept her home from school today. Typically, Jax didn't get a chance to see Jolene on Fridays until well after Church, and only if she wasn't exhausted from her long week of hitting the books.

The need in his voice kept Jolene from telling him that she had planned on heading to the library to study. She had to absorb as much of the material discussed during the lecture she had missed today in order to pass her test on Monday.

"Okay," She smiled. Suddenly, feeling not very tired at all, Jax kissed her as he slowly rolled himself on top of her, pinning her to the bed.

"Do I seem road weary now?" Jax grinned as he wedged himself between her legs.

"What _was_ I thinking?" Jolene giggled as he hiked her legs up around his waist and moved inside her. He had taken her like an animal upon his return to the Clubhouse after neutering Whistler. Now, Jax was determined to love her long and slow.

That was the plan, until Opie started banging on his door.

"Is he serious?" Jax stopped all movement and looked down at Jolene with wide eyes.

"Jax! We need you out here, brother!" Opie called out as he banged on the door again. "Charming PD wants a word with you."

* * *

Jax was throwing on his cut as he entered the Clubhouse's main room, with Jolene following closely behind. Approaching Hale, Jax stopped in front of him. Quirking an eyebrow, Jax followed Hale's gaze and realized he was looking past him and at Jolene.

Turning to face Hale once again, Jax glared at him with a murderous glint in his eye. "You here to talk to me," He started. "Or to stare at my old lady?"

Tearing his gaze from Jolene, Hale looked at Jax eye-to-eye. "Actually, I'm here to place you under arrest." Hale drawled with a slight smile curling his lips.

"What the hell for?" Piney bellowed from his usual spot at the bar.

"It seems that you, Jax Teller, have been identified as the perpetrator of an assault that has left a man in critical condition." Hale replied, with relish. "I can give you the rest of the details down at the station house, after Deputy Parsons here reads you your rights." He continued, pulling the handcuffs off the holster around his waist.

"I already know my rights," Jax smiled cynically. "Let's just get this over with." Putting his hands behind his head, Jax slowly turned around, his legs spread apart to accommodate a pat down. Facing Jolene, he realized she was looking at him with wide eyes glistening with unshed tears. The last 24 hours had been rough on her. Now this. He tried smiling at her, to reassure her somehow, but he couldn't get past the pain on her beautiful face. Shaking his head as Hale brought one arm down, wrapping the cuff around his wrist, followed by the other arm, Jax beckoned her towards him. "It's okay, baby." He whispered as Jolene held his face in her trembling hands and kissed him softly.

"I'll call Rosen and then I'll meet you at the station house as soon as possible." Jolene said quickly.

"That's my old lady." Jax winked at her, before being jerked around by Hale and led out of the Clubhouse.

* * *

With Jolene holed up with Jax in his dorm, Gemma had returned to the hospital to check on Lowell. Instead of minding the office, Piney was babysitting a bottle of tequila in the Clubhouse when the phone rang as Kyle was making his way through to the garage. He picked it up. It was Deputy Dawson, calling to give the Club a heads up that Deputy Hale had been investigating an assault that had occurred earlier in the afternoon at the Hairy Dog and was now on his way to arrest Jax Teller. Thanking Dawson for the Intel, Kyle hung up the phone and continued into the garage to search for the socket wrench he needed to tighten some bolts on his bike, conveniently forgetting to pass along the warning from Charming PD.

Now Kyle was sitting on the picnic table, nursing a beer and smoking a cigarette as he, Jolene, Piney, and Opie watched Hale escort Jax out of the Clubhouse, practically pushing him into the back seat of Deputy Parsons' cruiser. He watched, the bottle of beer hiding the smirk on his face as he made a mini-toast directed at Deputy Hale. Finally! Someone in Charming with the balls and the power to bring Golden Boy down a peg or two.

"Here's to you, Charming's finest." Kyle whispered to himself before taking a swig of beer.

Well, maybe that was a bit much. After all, Hale was a cop and, if Captain America had his way, all of SAMCRO would be led off in handcuffs and he would personally throw away the key. As far as Kyle was concerned, the only good cop was a dead cop. Unser would get a pass, being that he was practically employed by the Club, but the rest of them could suck his dick. Regardless of how Kyle felt about law enforcement, in his humble opinion, Jax did have this coming. Especially after what had gone down on fight night.

Kyle cursed the sway Johnnie Walker Black had on him the day he agreed to step into that ring with Jax. He hadn't really thought through the consequences of his verbal attack on Teller, and on his old lady by association, during the Indian Hills run. When he had finally sobered up and put some serious thought to it, he should have kept his mouth shut because it was a fuckin' miracle he had survived the beating he took.

When Kyle woke up after Jax's right hook/left uppercut combo, he found himself in one of the back rooms at Jury's with Chibs standing over him, who made it abundantly clear that he had no desire to be there at all. After a cursory examination, Chibs ran down his list of injuries, including a broken rib, maybe two, a dislocated index finger on his right hand, a hyper-extended knee, split lip, bloody nose, and he was lucky he had bitten through his tongue only a little bit with the blow he took to the jaw that had knocked him out. Oh, and it was possible he had a concussion. Kyle could tell from Chibs' attitude that he believed that he had deserved all of it and then some. Full of snark, Chibs had informed him that, with everyone too busy celebrating Jax's victories, he was going to have to wait 'til morning to see a real doctor, or he could get a sweetbutt, if he could find one, to take him to the nearest ER.

Kyle was in deep shit, not just with SAMCRO, but with other charters as well. For the rest of the Indian Hills run, Clay barely spoke to him and his brothers followed suit. Because of his injuries, Kyle rode back to Charming in Unser's truck with Chibs and the Prospect. He was ignored the whole way and with all that time available to think things through, Kyle had an epiphany. He loved his cut, the respect, the sex, and the money far too much to let himself get shut out of SAMCRO. He would just have to ride this out, do what he could to get back in with the Club. If he took on every crappy job, looked for ways to do his job more effectively, and laid off the pussy and booze, maybe he could show his brothers that the beating he'd suffered had knocked some sense into him, and in a way it had. At 39 and with Teller in peak physical condition, another beating from Jax just might kill him.

That meant that Kyle would have to make "nice" with Jax and Jolene, but hopefully not for too long. It was almost a guarantee that Teller would one day sit at the head of the table, but if Kyle played his cards right, and was patient, maybe a way would present itself before that happened to get rid of Teller without risking any blow back. Getting pinched for assault was a step in the right direction.

Stirring himself from his thoughts, as the cruiser pulled out of the lot, with Hale following in his Jeep Wrangler, Kyle jumped off the table and headed for his bike. He needed to get home to his old lady. The only good thing to come as a result of Kyle's beating was that, when he had gone to see his kids a few days later, April took pity on his battle-scared body and allowed Kyle to sweet talk his way back into his house.

* * *

Jax's arms were numb, but he refused to complain and give Hale the satisfaction of feeling like he was getting to him. He leaned against the wall and tried to make himself as comfortable as possible on the hard wooden bench, his long legs stretched out before him, with his arms still shackled behind his back.

"There seems to be a backlog in paperwork," Hale said as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to the bench Jax was sitting on. "We should have you booked in the next couple of hours, or as soon as one of the deputies is available."

Turning slightly, Jax looked Hale up and down. "You don't look very busy, Deputy." Jax observed sarcastically.

"Oh, but I am," Hale smiled. Pushing himself away from the wall, Hale strolled down the hall. "I'm busy getting myself another cup of coffee."

Jax shook his head as he sneered at Hale's retreating back. The asshole was giving himself a stiffy fuckin' around with him. Where the fuck was Unser when you needed him, Jax thought bitterly.

"Why the HELL is he still handcuffed?" Jax heard Jolene before he saw her. She was confronting Deputy Hale at the end of the hall. "You brought him in almost two hours ago." She practically pushed past Hale and headed down the hall towards Jax.

"Jolene, if you're here to post bail, it hasn't been set yet." Hale called out as he followed her. "This late in the day on a Friday, he probably won't get before a judge until Monday, so more than likely, he'll be spending the weekend here."

Jolene stopped just short of reaching Jax and he could barely contain the grin that spread across his face at the look in her eyes. If she wasn't careful, she would end up sharing a bench with him.

Jolene turned to face Hale, her arms crossed under her chest, pulling up her red halter top and exposing part of her crow tat made visible by her low riding jeans. "No he won't and I'm not here to post bail either." Jolene replied adamantly. "I had a long talk with our attorney," She started and turned to address Jax. "Who is a completely worthless piece of shit in a designer suit, by the way, and he said the same thing. He won't be able to get you out 'til Monday afternoon, if you're lucky."

"Then I'm afraid you'll either have to come back or wait outside to see him after he's been booked." Hale said, reaching for Jolene, but she pulled away before he could grab her arm. "Jolene, please, be reasonable and wait for him to be properly processed."

"I am being reasonable when I tell you that you won't be booking him." Jolene replied, causing both Jax and Hale to look at her with raised eyebrows. What was she gonna do? Break him out? Smiling, Jolene beckoned Chief Unser, who had just entered the station house. "I managed to do one better than Rosen. I ran into Chief Unser on my way over here and we had a little chat about what happened to Lowell yesterday. He agreed with me, as a concerned citizen of Charming, that what happened to Whistler, though unfortunate, was well-deserved and apparently, a remorseful Whistler agreed, too."

"What is she talking about, Chief?" Hale turned to Unser, the confusion plain on his face.

"At Jolene's behest, I went to see Mr. Whistler at the hospital. He wanted me to tell you, Jax that he feels personally responsible for what happened and apologizes for any misunderstanding. He's not pressing charges. You are free to go and I apologize to you and your lovely lady for the inconvenience." Turning to Hale, Unser tossed him the keys. "Cut him loose." He said before leaving the squad room and heading to his office.

"The victim is apologizing to the man that skewered his nut sack?" Hale called out after Unser in disbelief, as Jax jumped up from the bench and waited to be uncuffed.

"After watching Lowell nearly die before my very eyes, _I_ wouldn't call Whistler a victim, but yes, it seems that way." Jolene smiled. She was in Jax's arms almost before Hale had finished removing the cuffs.

"You're amazing, darlin'," Jax smiled as Jolene peppered his face with kisses.

Hale watched with bitter contempt as Jax left the station house, practically carrying Jolene, who still had her arms wrapped around his neck before heading to Unser's office.

"Did you really talk to Whistler because when I got to the scene, he was too busy bleeding out and not talking, to anyone." Hale queried as he went to stand in front of the Chief, who was sitting at his desk about to make a phone call.

Putting the phone back on its cradle, Unser looked up at the overly-eager, as far as he was concerned anyway, Hale. "I spoke to his proxy at the hospital." Unser replied.

"His proxy?" Hale asked skeptically, already preparing himself for the cover-up that was about to take place before his very eyes.

"Yes, his proxy!" Unser almost yelled. "Ernest Darby. You know what? Just move onto to something else. This situation has been resolved."

"Resolved? Jax Teller almost killed a man and you let him walk out of here." With her, Hale said to himself.

"That man he almost killed is the same man responsible for selling crank inside Charming, resulting in the near death of a friend of the MC." Unser explained.

"So that makes it justifiable near-homicide? Isn't that for the courts to decide? What, you're just gonna let SAMCRO police Charming as well?" Hale asked sarcastically.

"It's really none of your business what I let SAMCRO do or not do." Unser stated as a matter of fact.

"It's not my business? It's my fuckin job!" Hale, who prided himself on being a cool head, was about to lose his shit.

"You pull a stunt like that again and your job will be sitting on parking meters in downtown Charming." Unser threatened, pointing a finger at him.

Hale was shaking his head "Stunt? You call arresting a known criminal for a deadly assault a stunt?"

"What don't you understand? Anything regarding SAMCRO goes through me first! What is so hard to get?"

"You can't keep me from doing my job."

"The hell I can't! See this badge?" Unser jumped up from his chair, pointing to the shield on his chest. "Chief of Charming Police Department. The ink hasn't even had a chance to dry on your academy diploma yet, so don't tell me what I can and cannot do! Are we clear, Deputy?" Unser spit out.

Shaking his head in disgust, Hale walked out of Unser's office, slamming the door behind him.


	14. Home

**Disclaimer** **: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

Jolene was sitting cross-legged in the middle of her bed, surrounded by piles of papers, notebooks, and textbooks. She had a couple of pens and pencils sticking haphazardly out of her ponytail as she crouched over the open textbook in her lap, pink highlighter in one hand while she chewed on the thumbnail of the other, deep in thought. She looked a frazzled, hot mess, and Jax thought she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

He had been standing unnoticed in the doorway of her bedroom, just watching her for several minutes. Seeing how engrossed she was in her studies, Jax contemplated leaving her alone, but the selfish, man-in-love half of him couldn't just walk away. They've barely spent any quality alone-time together since she started school in September, and even though she always made herself available for some quick and dirty lovin', either here or at the Clubhouse—emphasis on the quick—Jax missed just laying with her cradled against his side, her head on his chest while they talked. Jolene was the first woman he had intimacy with on both a physical and mental level. She was smart and made him laugh, and when it came to his old lady, quickie, pants-around-his-ankles sex, while always very good, was never enough.

Deciding that his reason for seeking her out when he knew she'd be busy studying for midterms was just as important, Jax stepped one foot into her room as he cleared his throat. Her head snapping up from her book, she threw him a devastatingly beautiful smile that made her already-bright green eyes sparkle.

"Hey, baby," She quickly tossed her books to the side and kneeled on the bed as Jax approached and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her in for a kiss. Snaking her arms under his cut and up his back, Jolene held onto him as Jax poured every ounce of his frustration, longing, and relief in seeing her again into his kiss. Finally pulling away from their embrace, Jax pressed his forehead against hers. "I miss you, too." Jolene smiled, a little breathless.

"You could tell, huh?" Jax gave her a sexy smirk as she ran her hands up over his arms and cupped his face.

"I can always tell." Jolene started. "Every time I see you lately, you have this sad, almost pissed off look on your face."

"Yeah, I do cuz I fuckin miss you, Jo." He said emphatically. "I know you're busy, darlin', but I need you to take a quick ride with me."

Jolene narrowed her eyes at the urgency in his voice. "Is something wrong?"

"Everything's fine," Jax laughed a little self-consciously. He could hear the melodrama in his own voice and then the realization hit him like a punch in the gut. Jolene had the power to bring him to his fuckin' knees. "I just want your opinion on something, but you have to see it first."

Jolene gave him a curious, sideways look. "What is it?"

"Can't tell ya. You have to see it."

"Okay," Jolene said cautiously. "I could use a break, but give me a few to freshen up, ok?"

"You look beautiful," He smiled as he pulled the pens and pencils out of her hair and dropped them on the bed.

For the past week, Jolene had left her room only to take exams and barely had any time for anything other than studying, sleeping, and taking quick showers. He must really be missing her if he could look at her and say that with a straight face.

"Five minutes," Jolene promised, dropping a quick peck on his lips. Jumping off the bed, she ran into her bathroom.

Unsure of what he was up to, Jolene was surprised when, instead of taking to the highway, Jax weaved his way through Charming before turning his bike onto a tree-lined cul-de-sac on the other side of town. About half way up the block, Jax turned into the driveway of a sand-colored house with a terra cotta-tiled roof. Jolene jumped off the bike, wondering who they had come to see.

"What do you think?" Jax asked, a sheepish smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"About what?" Jolene gave him a confused look. Jax pointed a gloved finger at the single-story house. "What do I think about the house?" She asked and he nodded.

Pulling off her helmet, Jolene turned towards the house, giving it a quick once over. It was a beautiful little house, with a 2-car garage, and well-maintained lawn in a neighborhood of other similar little houses with equally well-maintained lawns.

Jolene turned to Jax. "What is this about, Jax? Why are we here?"

Jax got off his bike and placed his helmet on the handlebars. Grabbing hers, he set it on the seat.

"Let's go inside, darlin'." He pulled off his gloves and put his hand in hers, urging her to follow him to the front door. Pulling a set of keys out of his jeans' pocket, Jax proceeded to unlock and throw open the door. "Ladies first," He smiled.

Jolene's heart was trying to pound its way out of her body, her eyes wide as she entered the house, a million thoughts assaulting her all at once.

"I've missed you, Jo. A lot." Jax started, startling Jolene as she walked through the hall and into the living room of the vacant house. "I know you're probably tired of hearing that. I know I'm tired of saying it, but between school and the Club, we barely get to see each other anymore and it's driving me crazy." He leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, as he watched Jolene stop at the glass patio door, her forehead leaning against it as she listened to him. "I understand that you can't get shit done at the Clubhouse, but if you're pulling all-niters while hittin' the books, I prefer you did it right next to me rather than clear across town at your dad's. I don't care about what keeps us busy and apart during the day, but I want us under the same roof at night, darlin'. No matter how shitty my day, I wanna know that I can look forward to my old lady falling asleep in my arms."

Turning to face Jax, Jolene wasn't sure she could speak. "So what are you saying, Jax? This house, it's for us?" She asked with a catch in her throat. "You want us living together?" She wasn't sure whether she should cry or laugh out loud with joy.

Jax shook his head. "I'm saying I want us building a life together, Jolene and I know the Clubhouse is not the place to start. If you don't like it here," He waved his hand, indicating the house. "I'll keep looking. Wherever it is, I just want you with me."

Jolene turned away from Jax again, her hand over her mouth. Had there been any furniture, she was sure she would have collapsed into a chair by now. Oh my God, she thought. She hadn't seen this coming. "My dad's gonna flip the fuck out!" She said out loud, but mostly to herself.

Hearing her, Jax smiled. "Is that a yes?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Jolene turned and ran to Jax, throwing her arms around his neck. Jax hugged her tightly, inhaling the fresh raspberry-vanilla scent of her hair that he had been craving every night since they've been apart, never realizing how comforting it was until she wasn't there. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." She teased, her wide eyes searching his face.

"Me?" Jax gave her a half grin. "You just took the words right out of _my_ mouth." Who was he kidding? Her crazy ass was made for him. He dipped his head and kissed her softly at first. Her sweet, moist mouth urging him on, Jax buried his hands in her hair and held her steady as his mouth devoured hers hungrily.

"When do we move in?" With her hands against the hard, muscled planes of his torso beneath his cut, Jolene managed to break away long enough to ask.

Jax chuckled. "You haven't even seen the rest of the house yet, darlin'."

"Okay," Jolene grinned suggestively. "But show me the bedroom first."

* * *

Deciding to keep the house between the two of them until it was actually theirs, Jax managed to close on the house without it appearing in the Charming Gazette or on the 6 o'clock news. By the time midterms were over and Jolene was off for the Thanksgiving break, they had finished their furniture shopping in Stockton and now Jolene was spending much of her free time at their new home cleaning and waiting for deliveries and for cable and telephone to be installed. With the holiday tomorrow, they would have to wait until next week to have the re-tiling of the master bathroom finished. If all went according to plan, they would be under the same roof before the end of the first week of December, just in time for Jolene to return to school.

Jax, minus his cut, was helping the delivery men bring inside the living room set, the last pieces of furniture scheduled to arrive. Jolene was standing by the front door enjoying the view as his muscles flexed with his every movement as he helped carry in the couch. Quirking an eyebrow, Jolene followed them inside and looked the couch over, stopping Jax on his way back outside.

"Baby, they delivered the wrong couch." Jolene said, feeling bad that they were going to have to carry the heavy piece back to the truck.

"Jo, isn't this the one you originally wanted?"

"Yeah, but we agreed it was way too expensive and we went with the cheaper set instead, remember?"

Jax was shaking his head. "I remember, but I didn't agree to cheap out on you, darlin'. I told you that whatever you wanted was fine by me. You're not working with a budget, Jo." He said, pulling her into his arms when she frowned.

"No." Jolene was shaking her head. As a full-time student, the only work she'd been doing was for course credits. "There has to be a budget, Jax. I'm not bringing in any money and I feel guilty spending so much on a couch."

"That's your stubborn Morrow pride talkin'." Jax teased. "I'm not hurtin' for money, Jolene. If you want it and I can give it to you then guess what, I'm gonna give it to you and you can take that to mean anything you want, darlin'." He said, flashing her a lascivious grin.

Jolene was about to open her mouth again, but Jax stopped her, his face serious. "I love you, Jo and I want to take care of my old lady, so just let me, a'ight? Just don't expect any Christmas presents this year." He winked at her.

Jolene laughed. "So the couch is staying?"

"Only if that's what you really want, babe."

"I do want." Jolene scrunched up her nose, still feeling guilty.

"Good, cuz I wasn't moving that heavy piece of shit again anyway." He teased on his way back outside.

Jolene was about to follow him when her cell phone rang. Running to the kitchen counter, she winced as she picked it up. Gemma. "Shit!" Jolene cursed before answering the call.

"Before you start yelling at me, I'm on my way." Jolene insisted as she gathered her car keys and purse and started for the door.

" _Damn it, Jolene! Do you realize how many people are coming over for Thanksgiving tomorrow? If it wasn't for Bobby, I'd be just about ready to slit my own goddamn throat and Clay just pulled him off KP duty, so get your ass over here now!"_

"I'm on my way," Jolene repeated as she headed to the driveway towards her car. Passing by Jax, he reached out and grabbed her arm.

"You okay?" He asked, concerned that she had gone from happy to flustered in mere minutes.

"I just have to stop by the supermarket first." Jolene spoke into the phone, holding it away from her ear as Gemma proceeded to hurl obscenities at her. Covering the mouth piece, Jolene pecked Jax on the lips. "I'm fine. It's Gemma. I forgot she was expecting me about an hour ago."

"Gimme the phone." Jax demanded, his jaw tight.

"No, Jax, it's okay, really." She kissed him again, holding the phone out of his reach. "If she knows I'm with you, she's gonna start asking questions. Just make sure you lock up when you're done, ok?" She whispered.

Signing off with Gemma, Jolene threw her pre-pay into her bag and her bag onto the passenger seat as she slid behind the wheel of the Mustang. Leaning into her open window, Jax kissed her forehead. "Just remember that I can hear you screeching your tires from a mile away." He warned, afraid that in her haste to not further disappoint Gemma she'd drive like a fuckin' lunatic.

Jolene tugged on his chin hair playfully. "What's that you say? You _wanna_ sleep on our new and expensive couch?" She teased.

Jax shook his head and smiled. "There's only one thing I'm riding in that house, darlin', and it ain't no damn couch."

* * *

After leaving Jax at the house, Jolene spent the next eight hours on her feet in Gemma's kitchen being her little bitch. She peeled potatoes, chopped vegetables, made pie crusts from scratch, polished silverware, and among other things, spent a mind-numbing amount of time wrapping little cocktail weenies in pastry dough and making deviled eggs. Luann, as usual, showed up after all the hard work was done and occupied her time pouring herself one glass of wine after another, all while recounting her exciting day filming boy-on-girl-on-boy at Cara Cara.

Jax came for her around midnight, only to be shown the door by Gemma as she insisted she needed Jolene bright and early and wasn't letting her go anywhere. Not one to take no for an answer, after Jolene gave him the heads up that she was calling it a night, Jax had climbed the trellis on the side of the house and entered her bedroom through the window she always left conveniently open.

The next day, as Gemma directed her kitchen crew, including Donna, Bobby's wife Precious, and Bobby, on the finishing touches to the meal, Jolene did a last once-around the dining room table, making sure the napkins were folded properly and every piece of silverware was perfectly aligned. Pulling out one of the chairs, Jolene plopped down, exhausted, and ready for a nap.

"Hey, come on," Gemma called to her. "Get up. We still have food to get on the table."

"I love you, Gem, but you've had me up since the crack of dawn and I'm about to collapse."

"Well, that's what you get for sneaking Jax into your bedroom last night." Gemma said to a chorus of catcalls and whistles coming from the kitchen.

"Jesus, absolutely nothing slips past your radar, does it?" Jolene asked, slightly embarrassed, as she pushed herself up from the table.

"I don't know. You tell me." Gemma replied, her eyes narrowed and her hands on her hip.

Her peep toed pumps momentarily cemented to the floor in shock, Jolene quickly recovered. "What do you need me to do?" She asked, avoiding eye contact as she readjusted the neckline of her figure-hugging wrap dress.

Approaching Jolene with squinty eyes and her arms crossed, Gemma got _way_ into Jolene's personal space. "I need you to tell me what the hell you and Jax are up to."

"You mean aside from him sneaking into my room last night?" Jolene tried to deflect with snarkiness.

"Oh, please! Do you honestly think I believe last night was the first time? You gotta give me a little more credit than that, baby girl."

"Then I don't know what you're talking about." Jolene replied, hating that Gemma, with her need to know everything, had pushed her to lie. She was going find out the truth soon enough.

* * *

After taking several pies out of the oven and putting them on cooling racks on the counter, Jolene seized the opportunity while Gemma's back was turned and slipped out of the kitchen. The entire Club, with the exception of Kyle, were scattered across the living room. Some football game was playing virtually ignored on Clay's wall-mounted big screen TV as they drank and gave each other a hard time. Jax, pulling a straight face, was giving Juice a hard time, telling him he would be sitting at the kiddie table with Bobby's grade school-aged boys, Milo, Aaron, and Tiki.

Never quite sure if his sponsor was joking or not, Juice turned to Chibs. "Is he serious? Am I really sitting at the kids' table?" He whispered.

"Be happy he upgraded you, Prospect." Chibs played along. "He was gonna have you sit on the back porch, but it looks like rain and, even then, it took some convincing ."

The room was alive with boisterous laughter and loud booming voices as Jolene entered. Catching her by surprise, Jax, who was sitting on the sofa's armrest by the door, grabbed Jolene by the waist and pulled her onto his lap.

"I haven't seen you since this morning, darlin'. What kind of a holiday is it if everything I'm thankful for has been avoiding me all day?" He nipped at her lips.

Jolene smiled. "Am I really all you're thankful for, Teller or are you just trying for a quickie before dinner?" She teased as she ran her hands through his soft, golden hair.

Jax raised an eyebrow. "Dessert before dinner. I like the sound of that."

"I'm sure you do," Jolene cooed. "But with you, quickies are rarely just that and we're bound to get busted by Mother Gemma."

Jax moaned as he put his head on her shoulder and buried his face in her perfumed neck. "Darlin', for future reference, mentioning sex and my mother in the same breath is a surefire boner-killer."

"I'm sorry," Jolene giggled as she fought to keep his hand from pulling on the neckline of her dress for a peek at her cleavage.

Burying his hands in the black curls cascading down her back, Jax pulled her in for a kiss. "You ready for tonight?" He almost whispered against her lips as Jolene continued kissing him.

Jolene suddenly pulled back. "I don't think we can put it off much longer. Gemma suspects something and had me virtually cornered in the kitchen. She looked like she was contemplating water-boarding me." She kidded.

Jax chuckled. "Don't put it past her. She hates being kept out of the loop."

"Maybe we should have said something sooner." Jolene reasoned, her stomach suddenly doing back flips.

Jax was shaking his head. "Really? You _wanted_ my mother involved in the process, bitching and second guessing you every step of the way?"

Jolene made a face. "Geez, not if you're gonna put it like that. She's been operating on military mode all week and it's just Thanksgiving."

"My point exactly." Jax placed a gentle kiss on the side of her face. "I'm not gonna lie, darlin'. If I know your dad and my mom, it'll be like pulling off a band-aid on an open, festering wound. It's gonna hurt like fuck, but it's a done deal. You belong with me."

* * *

Gemma was smiling as she finally took a seat to Clay's left. She looked down the long table, happy that it was filled with those that mattered most, her family. With Clay at the head of the table, Big Otto sat at the other end with Luann to his left. Bobby, Precious, Tig, Juice, and Piney were sitting on Gemma's side of the table, with Jolene, Jax, Chibs, Opie, and Donna seated to Clay's right. The levity and raucousness had transferred to the table from the living room and everyone was having a great time, even though it seemed at times one had to yell in order to heard by the person seated next to them.

Pouring gravy onto her mashed potatoes as everyone dug into the mounds of food on their plates, Gemma watched from the corner of her eye as Jax and Jolene whispered to each other, at one point, causing Jolene to turn beet red as she tried to hide behind her napkin. Pulling her towards him with his hand on the back of her neck, Jax dropped a light kiss on her temple as he tried not to laugh. Gemma had hearing that rivaled a bat's, but with the noise level turned up to 11, she couldn't even concentrate long enough to read their lips and decipher what they were talking about.

Looking up and catching Gemma watching them, Jax smiled to himself. Yeah, it was time.

"I took your advice, Mom." Jax started, loud enough to be heard across the table by his mother. Taking a sip of his beer, he threw a slight wink at Jolene, who had nervously been taking small bites of food all throughout dinner. Jolene was afraid that a public announcement of such magnitude might be interpreted as a slap in the face by Clay and Gemma, but Jax was right. They had the right to share their happy news with everyone however they saw fit. "I finally got my own place." He continued.

Gemma's fork stopped in mid-air as Clay, who had been only half listening, dropped his cutlery on the table and folded his hands in front of him.

"An apartment?" Gemma asked cautiously as she too put her fork down. She fought the urge to move Clay's knife and fork out of his reach. She could now see what was coming a mile away.

"No," Jax replied casually as he wiped his mouth with a linen napkin. "I went the whole nine and bought a house."

"Congratulations, Jackie Boy!" Chibs happily patted his friend on his back and quickly went back to the business at hand of putting a hurting on his second helping of turkey and sweet potatoes.

"Thanks," Jax nodded at all his brothers as they raised their beers and glasses and congratulated him. All except Clay, who was giving him a look that said he was contemplating the best place to depose of a body.

"A house?" Gemma started, trying to keep her composure. Why was this the first she was hearing about it? "That's great, Jackson. I told you eventually you'd get tired of living at the Clubhouse and want a real home." She continued while looking at Jolene, who seemed to be begging Bobby with her big eyes from across the table for moral support.

"It's not the first time you've been right, Mom and I'm sure it won't be the last." Jax flashed Gemma with a smile that always got him out of trouble as a kid. Grabbing Jolene's trembling hand underneath the table, Jax continued, "I _am_ ready for a real home."

Sensing the sudden tension as Jax and Clay locked eyes, with Clay practically daring Jax to say what he knew was coming next, the table suddenly grew quiet.

Clay turned to Jolene, who had stopped eating and was now batting around chunks of turkey with her fork from one side of her plate to the other. "So when are you moving out?" He asked, the snarl on his face making it almost impossible to see his lips move as he spoke.

Jolene put her fork down, looked up, and straight into her father's eyes. "First week in December." She replied confidently.

"The hell you are!" Clay slammed his hands on the table, instantly regretting it as pain shot through his arthritic mitts. The pain was only bound to get worse after he got done with Jax. "Let's take this outside." He demanded, pointing at Jax as he pushed himself away from the table.

Jax, with nostrils flared, was on his feet in an instant.

"Whoa, brothers." Bobby quickly stood up and went to stand between them. "Take it easy. There's no reason to take it to that level."

Standing up, her legs trembling with anger, not fear, Jolene addressed her dad. "Can we talk first, you and me, before you take _anyone_ outside, for Chrissakes?" She threw her napkin on her plate and stormed out of the dining room.

Turning to Gemma angrily, Clay glared at her. "Am I gonna have to kill your fuckin' bird?"

Eyes wide, Gemma shot up from the table. "I didn't know shit, Clay, but if you plan on murdering my son, you're gonna have to get in fuckin' line!" Turning to Jax, Gemma pointed at the back door. "Outside!"

With his usual cool swagger, Jax headed towards the back door with Gemma close behind as Clay stomped out of the dining room in search of his daughter.

* * *

Stepping out into the cool night air, Jax lit a cigarette as he went down the porch steps.

"Where the fuck are you going?" Gemma called out, her hands on her hips as she stood at the top of the stairs.

"If you're gonna chew my ass off, I'd prefer if you didn't do it within earshot of my Club." Jax said calmly.

Pulling her long, flowing skirt up slightly, Gemma gingerly climbed down the porch stairs in her stiletto boots.

Diving right in, Gemma confronted Jax. "Where do the two of you get off keeping something this big from Clay?"

Jax raised his blonde eyebrows. "From Clay? Really, that's what you're going with?" Jax asked sarcastically. "How about it's no one's fuckin' business what we do? Last time I checked, Jolene and I were both adults."

"Oh that's rich!" Gemma started. "That dead turkey on my table was alive way longer than Jolene's been an adult, asshole! You really think Clay has moved on from the fact that you were banging his underage daughter until just a few months ago, behind _everyone's_ back?"

"Why are you bringing up shit that doesn't matter anymore? Is that all you got, cheap shots at me about how this whole thing started?" Jax asked angrily.

"Of course it matters—" Gemma started, but Jax interjected.

"Bullshit! It only matters to you because it's all you've got. You don't give a shit about the effect this is gonna have on Clay. This is about you, Mom. The Queen Bee just can't bring herself to admit that she's pissed off that she missed out on an opportunity to stick herself into a situation that doesn't concern anyone but Jolene and me."

"How can you say that, Jackson? Of course it concerns me. I'm your mother."

"Yeah, and as my mother I thought you'd at least be happy that I'm taking responsibility for my old lady. I love her and I want to start building a life with Jolene. That is all you or Clay need to know."

Exasperated, Gemma ran her hands through her hair. "I told Jolene that this kind of bullshit would not be tolerated, Jax."

"What!" Jax was incredulous. "When the fuck did you tell Jolene that?"

"We had a long talk the day Lowell ended up in the hospital. I told her Clay and I had certain expectations for the two of you. She finishes college first, marriage, then children. Moving in together was never part of the equation. All I need is for you to tell me that you knocked her up, too."

Jax threw his cigarette down and ran his hands over his face, trying to keep a cool head. "Put aside all this mother/son bullshit, _Gemma_." He started, his voice low and slightly menacing, taking Gemma by complete surprise. "I'm talking to you now as a patch to a member's old lady. You watch what you say to Jolene because it is not your job to educate her. She's with me and she deserves the same respect that you or any other member's old lady gets to enjoy. She's no longer subservient to you and does not answer to you or her father, you got that? You may be the Queen of Charming, but in my Clubhouse, in the home I'm creating with Jolene, you are just another old lady." Jax finished and walked around Gemma and started climbing the stairs.

"Jackson, come back here." Gemma called out, her mind refusing to process the things Jax had said and the venom with which he had said them.

Jax was shaking his head. "I'm done talkin' to Clay's old lady. Now if you wanna talk to me like my mother, you can start by saying that you're happy for us because hearing you say that would mean a lot. Otherwise, you've got nothing to say that I wanna hear." He said before opening the back door and stepping back into the house, leaving Gemma alone in the dark with her thoughts.

* * *

Walking into the living room, Clay grabbed Jolene by the arm and pulled her towards the front door.

"Where are we going?" Jolene wasn't sure if she should put up a struggle or not.

"If you're gonna tear into me like I know you will, I'd rather the Club didn't hear it." Clay led them out onto the front porch and closed the door behind him.

Jolene watched with her arms crossed as Clay pulled a cigar out of the front pocket of his cut and plopped himself down onto one of the cushioned lounge chairs in front of the living room window.

"So where's the reactive nut-job that called Jax out?" Jolene asked. Clay looked at her as he calmly lit his cigar and took several puffs.

"You help with dinner tonight?" He asked, sitting back in his chair, one leg resting by the ankle on his knee. "I'm impressed. You helped put out quite a spread, baby girl."

Jolene was looking at him like lightening bolts had just shot out of his ass. This is the straw that broke the camel's back, Jolene thought. Her father had finally lost his mind and, like he had always warned Jolene, she had caused it.

"Dad, you're killing me here." Jolene said as she took a seat in the lounge chair opposite him. "I can't tear into you if you're just gonna sit there, all passive and shit, handing out compliments."

"What do you want me to say, Jolene?" Clay started. "Between the dining room and here, reality hit me like a fuckin' ton of bricks. You're Jax Teller's old lady and there ain't shit I can do to keep you from moving out."

"But you're not happy with it?" Jolene asked.

"Of course I'm not. You're my little girl, Jolene." Clay replied. "Someday, and please tell me it's not any time soon, when you have kids of your own, you'll know exactly what I'm feeling."

"So this has nothing to do with you not being ok with Jax and I being together?"

"No, I don't have a problem with you two being together." Clay assured her, not entirely convincing, but at least he was making the effort.

"Then what the frack, Dad?" Jolene started. "You've been acting all weird since Indian Hills."

"Oh you think?" Clay asked sarcastically, but stopped himself from bringing up the Kyle incident. None of that bullshit ever got back to Jolene, especially after the ass whupping both Jax and Jolene had dished out on that run. They made quite a team, those two.

If he was honest with himself, he didn't buy into what Kyle was trying to sell, planting the seed of doubt regarding Jax's feelings for his daughter. It was painfully obvious to Clay that Jax loved Jolene and everyday she was with him, she was less and less his baby girl and more Jax's old lady. Pretty soon, there would be nothing left for him. That day was coming soon enough. Why the need to take her away all at once by moving her out in less than a week?

"As your father, sweetheart, I had a different set of expectations for you." Clay looked Jolene straight in the eyes. "You're a smart girl with so much to offer, not just to the Club or your old man, but to the fuckin' world. I just don't want you ending up like Donna."

"You mean happy like Donna? You don't want me to be happy?" Jolene asked sarcastically.

"No, smartass. That's not what I mean and you know it." Clay replied. "She's barely legal to drink and she's already tied down and knocked up with twins, working a shitty job at a shitty diner for shitty pay. Is that what you want for yourself?"

"Dad, I'm going to school. I want to teach. Nothing will change except our living arrangements."

"Bullshit! Next thing you know, he'll have you pumping out rugrats and you'll forget all about school."

"That's not gonna happen." Jolene assured him.

"How do you know that?" Clay asked.

"First of all, I'm on birth control."

Clay winced, running his free hand over his face. "Goddamn it, Jolene! I don't need to know that shit."

"Well, you brought it up, Dad. And believe it or not, Jax is pretty old-fashioned when it comes to the order of how things happen. Marriage first, then, way, way down the road, kids." Jolene explained.

"Old-fashioned? There's nothing old-fashioned about shacking up with my kid." Clay nearly hollered as what Jolene said sunk in. "Wait a second. Back up. You've talked about marriage?" Clay asked, his eyes wide.

"We do have actual conversations, you know. It's not a sex free-for-all all the time. We've talked about marriage, kids, the whole deal, but it's not in our five-year plan."

"You have a five-year plan?" Clay sputtered. Fuck, even at his age he didn't have five-year plan. She didn't think it was possible, but his eyes got wider and she was grateful he was sitting down.

"Of course! Dad, what do you think is going on here? We love each other and we're planning a life together. We're not playing house and this is not an infatuation I'll outgrow. I am in this for the long haul and so is Jax." Jolene assured him. "Marriage and kids are not even a blip on our radar yet. Jax has the Club he's throwing himself into 100% and I have school and hopefully a future teaching right here in Charming. We just want to be together, Dad. Living at the Clubhouse long-term sucks ass. I want you to be happy about this. I need you to be happy about this. Why can't you just be happy about this?" She asked, exasperated.

"It scares me, Jolene, alright? This is new to you _and_ Jax. I've never seen him take it to this level before with anyone. How sure are you that he's committed to being with you and just you cuz I couldn't take it if he did anything to hurt you?"

"What makes you think he's gonna hurt me?" Jolene asked, afraid there was something her father knew that he wasn't telling her. Just as quickly, she snapped out of it. "No, he's not. You know why? Because I'm confident in the love he has for me and because there's no me without him."

"You never gave yourself a chance to be you without him." Clay argued. "You got involved way too young, sweetheart. There's a whole world out there you didn't give yourself the chance to discover."

"This is my whole world, Daddy. You, my family, Jax, Charming. If I wanna see the rest of the world, all I have to do is jump on the back of my old man's bike and hit the road. The Life is my life, Dad."

Clay chuckled to himself bitterly. Bobby had been right. His passive/aggressive efforts to keep Jax on the road, hoping that Jolene would get tired of waiting and that Jax would fall back into his pussy-chasing ways, had backfired. Instead of the road and the distance pulling them apart, Clay had pushed them to find a way to stay connected. Clay looked at Jolene for what felt like an eternity as he mindlessly chewed on his cigar. Suddenly pushing himself up from his seat, Clay stopped to drop a kiss on the top of her head.

"I hope you made some apple pie, too. I hate that pumpkin shit." He said as he went back inside.

Jolene wasn't prepared for the feeling of devastation that overcame her as she realized that her father had resigned himself to giving her up, never acknowledging that he was happy for her. With her head held high, Jax Teller's old lady let her tears fall as she quietly mourned the end of her reign as daddy's little girl.

* * *

Thanksgiving dinner was essentially over for Jax the moment he saw Jolene return to the dining room. Her eyes were red and it was obvious she had been crying and now he wanted nothing more than to just grab her and go. Without giving her a chance to sit down, that's exactly what he did. Bobby, always the cool head, tried to convince him to stay, reasoning that leaving would make the gap between Jolene and her father and Jax and his mother only that much wider. Jax knew he was right, but he was tired of living under the conditions set by Clay and Gemma with regards to Jolene. In spite of how old she was when they initially hooked up, Jolene was now an adult and had a level head on her shoulders. Jolene knew better than anyone what she wanted. She wanted to finish school and she wanted a career, but more importantly, she wanted him. Clay and Gemma were just going to have to learn to accept and respect the new boundaries that were now in place.

For the next few days, things were tense around the Clubhouse between Jax and Clay. Jolene had practically taken up residence in Jax's dorm, returning home only when she was sure Clay and Gemma were out of the house to pack up her room. Jax had given her a detailed account of his confrontation with his mother and, if Jolene knew Gemma, it would be best to stay out of her path for the time being. Nothing came between Gemma and her son.

With the tile work in the master bath finally completed on Monday, Jax and Jolene made plans to finally and officially move in on Tuesday. For moving day, Big Otto insisted on assembling a crew of his brothers, including Tig, Opie, Chibs, and Juice to help. With only a cargo van full of boxes and bins left to move, Jax knew that the gesture was more a show of support and he appreciated that.

Juice volunteered to hook up all the electronics, including surround sound, computers, and just because a Son was never too careful, he upgraded their alarm system as a housewarming gift. Jax enjoyed giving Juice a hard time. The young Puerto Rican made it so easy sometimes to get goofed on, but Jax knew he had not made a mistake when he had asked Juice to prospect. In recent months, he had proven himself an asset to SAMCRO and Jax was sure that when the time came, he would be getting his top rocker. That didn't mean that he was going to ease up on him, though. Between Jax and Tig, they just had too much fun fuckin' with him.

Opie and Donna were the first to show up in the early afternoon, bringing "soda pop for Jolene and adult beverages for everyone else", Opie teased. Looking at her now, Opie had a hard time reconciling the Jolene he had grown up with and the young woman who had made an honest man out of his best friend. He had to remind himself that Jolene was still only 18 because sometimes she seemed more mature than Jax himself.

After the rest of the moving crew had arrived, Jolene and Donna went to work unpacking and arranging the kitchen, while the first order of business for the Club wasn't unloading the van, but cracking into the first of many beers. Jolene smiled as she watched them lounging in the backyard on the patio furniture. She was sure they would be ten sheets to the wind before any of those boxes made it into the house. Watching Jax, animated and happy as he talked, causing the guys to bust out laughing with Otto almost bent double, gave Jolene a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to hold onto that feeling because, as he looked at her through the patio door and flashed her a beautiful smile, it really felt like they were home.

It was late afternoon by the time they finally started moving the boxes in. Taking a break from unpacking while a pregnant and tired Donna snoozed on a chaise in the backyard, Jolene went outside to direct the traffic of boxes entering the house. Like a moth to a flame, Jolene's gaze was repeatedly drawn to a shirtless, slightly sweaty Jax each time he made a pass through the house. Sometimes Jolene did feel like the hormonal teenager Gemma accused her of being.

"Found another box for the kitchen, babe." He said as he carried the box past her.

"Aw, shit. Just when I thought I was done with the damn kitchen." Jolene followed him inside.

Dropping the box on the kitchen table, Jax grabbed Jolene and pushed her against the wall next to the fridge.

"I see how you've been looking at me, darlin'." Jax smiled, one hand urging her chin up so he could nip at her bottom lip, while Jolene fought to keep his other hand from finding its way under her t-shirt. "You need to stop playing hard to get and just give it up to me."

"Oh my God. You're either drunk or really full of yourself, Teller." Jolene smiled, running her hands seductively over his muscled chest before pushing him away.

"A little of both, darlin', but that doesn't mean you don't like what you see." Jax smiled. "I'm not a piece of meat. I have feelings, you know." He kidded.

"Oh poor you. Then maybe you should put your shirt back on cuz I'm not the only one eyeballing ya." Jolene said as she dodged him around the table, trying to stay out of his reach. "You have all our female neighbors in a tizzy and I'm too tired to kick ass right now."

"Really?" Jax asked with a cocky grin plastered on his handsome face. "How about you? Do I have you in a tizzy?"

"I get wet just lookin' at ya, baby." She teased.

"See, now that's what I like to hear." Jax smiled, grabbing Jolene and pressing her against the counter, his chest to her back, as he bit her ear.

"Hey, hey Jackie Boy!" Chibs called out as he walked past the kitchen on his way to retrieve another box. "Let lil luvvie go, we got a shitload left to do! You can christen the kitchen counter after we leave."

"Should I tell him we've already properly christened every room in this house?" Jax teased.

"We haven't though. The plumber finished installing the new shower fixtures this morning." Jolene advised.

Jax raised his eyebrows. "Then we have a date, darlin'. Meet me in the shower after all these cock-blocking assholes take off." He kissed the side of her face.

"That'll never happen if you guys keep drinking a beer for every box you bring in." Jolene laughed as she broke away from Jax and practically ran back outside.

With impeccable timing, Bobby was pulling up to the house just as Jolene hit the front lawn.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up." Big Otto smirked as he put the box he was carrying down in front of Bobby. "You can finish bringing in the boxes left in van."

"Think again, brother." Bobby replied as he pulled a large sack from the back of his bike. Strolling up to Jolene, he put his arm around her shoulders to give her a hug. "Hey, Kit. I know how much you love my organic blueberry muffins and banana bread. I thought they would be a nice treat for your first breakfast in your new home."

"Awww, that's so thoughtful. You're the greatest, Uncle Elvis." Jolene enthusiastically grabbed the bag of baked goods.

"I also figured it would get me a free pass from lifting jack." Bobby said with a big shit-eating grin on his face.

"They most certainly do." Jolene replied happily, planting a big kiss on his bearded cheek.

"That's not fair. You can't play favorites. How come your old man doesn't get a pass?" Jax teased, as he came up from behind and tried to snatch the bag of baked goods out of her hand.

"Fair? Look at what you get to push up on at night! _That's_ not fair!" Tig bellowed. "Some fuckin' guys have all the luck _and_ the balls to complain."

"I save my best rewards for you, baby." Jolene smiled, wiggling her eyebrows at him as she turned and took her goody bag inside.

Watching Jolene walk off, Bobby smiled. "I still can't believe it, brother. Jax Teller, the Pussy Whisperer. The James T. Kirk of the MC World buying a house and settling down. The world must be coming to an end."

"Nah, brother, the world's not coming to an end." Jax smiled as he too watched her walk into the house. "She is my world."

Holy shit! Bobby would never believe it if he wasn't seeing it with his own eyes. Jax was in deep.

Bobby clapped him on the back, drawing Jax's attention back. "Well, just in case, and I know I've said this before, but don't hurt my Kit or I'm gonna have to kill ya."

Tig smirked. "Trust me, Bobby, you won't get the chance. Doll face will fuck him up all by herself." Holding up his phone, Tig laughed. "The bitch can fight and I've got the video right here to prove it."

Jax turned to Tig and glared. "You've got video of my old lady?"

"Of course I do, bro. That Indian Hills smack down was epic." Tig replied.

"Gimme that!" Jax snatched the phone out of his hand, tempted to smash his face with it.

"I may not say this often, but Tig's right." Big Otto started. "Chibs may have given you pointers for fight night, but he actually taught Jo how to fight. She's still gonna need help disposing of the body and that's where we come in."

"You know I get it, right?" Jax smirked, knowing that with his Club, his old lady would always be in good hands.

* * *

Jolene was bringing out several empty boxes and dropping them in the open garage where Juice was breaking them down and setting them aside for recycling when Gemma pulled up in her black Cadillac. Jolene walked to the curb, her eyes darting down the street, as Jax watched from the front door, prepared to step in if his mother was here to cause his old lady grief. Surprising both Jolene and Jax, Gemma stepped out of her car with a big grin and approached Jolene, wrapping her arms around the young woman for a hug.

"Hey, sweetheart, how's it going?" Gemma asked pleasantly as she brushed several wayward locks of silky black hair out of Jolene's face.

Instead of being alarmed by Gemma's obvious contriteness, Jolene felt tears spring to her eyes. "Much better now that you're here." She smiled, overwhelmed that Gemma was seemingly letting go of her anger and hurt at being kept in the dark and had shown up on one of the happiest days of her life. Gazing down the block again, Jolene shook her head. "Dad not coming?"

Gemma shook her head sadly. "I tried, baby girl, but he just needs a minute to process everything, get it all right in his head. He'll come around."

"Hey, mom." Jax greeted as he approached the two most important women in his life. Reaching for her son, Gemma gave him a quick kiss and a tight hug. "I'm glad you're here." He smiled, as Gemma held his face in one hand.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, baby." Gemma smiled. "I thought you might be too busy to think about food, so I picked up some burgers and whatnot from Nicky's on my way. Could you please bring it all inside before it stinks up my car?" She asked Jax.

Jax smiled. "Thanks, Mom." He squeezed her arm, the gesture and the look in his eyes thanking her for more than just the food.

Gemma wrapped her arm around Jolene's shoulders as they headed up the walkway. "Nice." She said appreciatively as they approached the house. "You all moved in?"

"Yeah. It took the guys all afternoon to move in enough boxes to fit in the van, but they've made quick work of putting some furniture together." Jolene explained. "Donna and I haven't made a dent in the unpacking and it's a holy mess in there, but hopefully it'll start to look somewhat normal before Christmas."

"Well, that's where I come in. Organizing is my thing. If you want my help, I'm happy to give it. I can even get some croweaters over here to lend a hand, too." Gemma offered.

"I would love your help, Gem. I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed by the mess, but I draw the line at croweaters in my home, if you don't mind." Jolene replied.

"Not at all." Gemma smiled, knowing she couldn't really blame her as through the years Jolene had witnessed Jax go through each and every croweater and sweetbutt, more than once.

* * *

It was getting late and Gemma was in the zone when it came to unpacking and organizing and was making real progress. Jolene, on the other hand, was running on fumes. After Opie and Donna had gone home, Jax convinced Jolene to call it a night and sent her off to take a shower while he went about getting rid of his brothers. He practically had to draw a picture that he wanted to get laid before his mother finally got the hint and took off. Jolene was in the hot and steamy shower by the time Jax had locked up for the night.

Stripping off his clothes as he made his way through their new bedroom, he entered the master bathroom. Jolene's eyes were closed and her head back as the water ran through her luxurious hair when he opened the shower door and stepped in. Slipping her arms around his lean waist, she pulled Jax towards her and under the water.

"Oh Jesus!" Jax groaned, his eyes closing against his will as the heat penetrated his sore, tight muscles. "Feels good, darlin'."

"Yes it does." Jolene smiled. Holding her face in his hands, Jax dipped his head and kissed her, taking his time to taste and explore her with his tongue. Breaking away, Jax turned her to face the wall, her ass rubbing up against his semi-erection as Jax gently but firmly massaged the tension out of her shoulders, the hot water a cascade over them. "That feels so good," Jolene moaned, her head falling to the side, giving Jax free reign on her neck.

"You like that?" He nibbled on her exposed throat. Jolene nodded, her eyes closed. Jax pushed her into the wall, forcing Jolene to whimper as he continued nibbling on her neck, his hands on her tits. Gasping for breath, Jolene put her hands over her head and grabbed onto his hair as Jax sucked a bruise into the sensitive area just below her ear. Mindlessly, she started grinding her ass against his erection, forcing a groan to escape his lips and a satisfied smile to dance on Jolene's. His breathing quickened and was hot against her ear as his hands fell to her hips, pulling her towards him as he rubbed his cock between her cheeks. Feeling the slow burn between her legs burst into a blazing hot fire, Jolene moaned as she grabbed hold of one of his hands.

"Touch me, please." She begged. Not quite sure she had actually said the words out loud until she felt him brush against her clit, Jolene nearly cried out as she twitched beneath his touch.

"More?" He breathed against her ear. Smiling against her neck as she nodded, desperate to finally feel him filling her and quenching her fire. Jolene gasped as Jax entered her with his fingers instead, stroking her slick, moist folds, causing her to thrust against his hand.

"Fuck, Jax! Please!" She begged. Feeling her tighten slightly around his fingers, Jax pulled out. "No!" Jolene cried out, her want and need frustrating and overwhelming her.

Taken by surprise as Jax buried his length deep into her, Jolene gasped, too breathless to speak, her cheek pressed against the shower wall. "Is that what you wanted?" He demanded, the hairs of his goatee tickling her as he kissed her face. Jolene nodded, biting her bottom lip as she whimpered. "Say it."

"Shit, yes! Yes!" She moaned as Jax quickened his pace. Reaching behind her, Jolene grabbed onto his ass as his muscles flexed and relaxed under her touch with his every movement. Gently biting into her shoulder to keep himself from crying out, Jolene pushed herself against him, meeting him thrust for thrust.

"Fuck!" Jax groaned against her ear. The hot water washed over them like a waterfall as they pounded into each other frenetically.

"Harder, Jax! Please, baby, harder!" Jolene begged, the need for release heavy in her voice. Jax groaned as he gripped her hips and pushed himself further and further inside her, flesh slapping against flesh. Jolene grasped at the slick wall above her head in an attempt to stay upright as her legs turned into wet noodles. Feeling her tighten around him as she came, Jax growled, his heart pounding against his ribcage. His balls seized up as his orgasm came in violent spurts that left him almost breathless when he was done.

Pulling out, Jax turned Jolene towards him, their arms instantly wrapping around each other. "Welcome home, darlin'." Jax almost whispered, his cheek pressed against her head.

"Welcome home, baby."

* * *

Jax pulled into the T-M lot and stopped in front of the office, where Jolene jumped off the back of his bike. Gemma was standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face. Jolene was late even though she was the one that had asked Gemma to meet her at T-M an hour earlier than usual so they could hit the stores for some closet organizers.

"I know last night was your first time in your new home, but you are over an hour late." She directed at Jolene. "Forget how to use a phone?"

"Ma, back off," Jax said defensively. "Jo's had a rough morning."

Gemma was shaking her head. "I wasn't asking for details on your sex life, Jackson."

"That's not what he means," Jolene angrily ripped her helmet off her head. "I nearly burned the house down while making breakfast this morning."

"What?" Gemma couldn't keep the shocked laughter out of her voice.

Jax grabbed a still-upset Jolene by the waist and pulled her towards him. "It wasn't that big a deal, darlin'." He started.

"Really?" Jolene asked doubtfully. "The neighbors heard the explosion and called the fire department. How embarrassing was that?"

Jax knew that laughing would guarantee that he'd be riding the couch for the foreseeable future, so he fought hard to contain the smile that was threatening to spread across his face. "That was an overreaction on their part, darlin'. They must have thought we were cooking meth or something."

In spite of herself, Jolene felt the corners of her mouth tug into an almost-smile. "That's not funny, Jax." Jolene managed to pout even as he was wrapping his arms around her. "You realize we could be homeless right now and it would be all my fault, right?"

"What happened?" Gemma was incredulous.

"Grease fire," Jax replied, making faces at Gemma over Jolene's shoulder for her to keep a lid on it. He didn't want Gemma making the situation worse for his old lady.

Jolene pulled away and kissed Jax tenderly on the lips as she stroked the hair on his jawline. "I just wanted our first morning together to be special." She started.

"I know," Jax comforted her. "And it was." He said, giving her a knowing wink. Gemma hadn't been far off about the sex. That early morning blow job had to be the best wake-up call of his life!

"I swear I didn't know throwing water on burning grease would cause it to explode like that." Jolene said in her defense.

"You learn from experience, sweetheart." Jax smiled sweetly. Jesus, who was this man standing before her, Gemma thought, and what the hell did he do with my son? "No damage a coat of paint won't fix and I'll get Juice right on it." He said referring to the scorched ceiling above the sink where Jolene had thrown the burning pan of bacon grease. He could probably laugh about it now, even though he knew that would be a really bad idea, but she had scared the shit out of him. The damage to his old lady could have been a lot worse. Fuck the house.

"All things considered, how was breakfast?" Gemma teased.

Jax narrowed his eyes at his mother. "Best I've had in a long time." He replied and it wasn't a lie. Jax had to comfort his teary-eyed old lady somehow and what better way than making her cum on the kitchen counter. He was more than willing to overlook the fact that she had nearly burnt down the house making bacon because her _**other**_ skills in the kitchen were what had him wrapped around her pinky, not her cooking. There was always take-out.

Not that Jolene was a bad cook because, as Jax quickly learned, she wasn't. Once she started school again, she had managed to set a routine that allowed them to spend time together in the mornings before they went their separate ways. Some days those times included having breakfast together. Other days, especially after Jax crawled into bed at dawn after working on Club-related business all night, those times included Jolene climbing on top him and making love to him long and slow before she headed off to school and Jax passed out from sheer exhaustion. Those days were nice, but his absolute favorite were the days when they had time for both, like this morning. Not only had he initiated their early morning romp, but he had managed to make her breakfast as well. This had surprised the shit out of her too, which was an added bonus. Jax loved seeing her smile and although he had no doubt in his mind that she was happy here with him, he could sense her sadness over being estranged from her father since Thanksgiving.

"You know Lowell's out of rehab, right?" Jax asked as he stabbed his scrambled eggs with his fork. "He's back at the garage." He said before shoving the forkful into his mouth.

Jolene, who was digging through her messenger bag, stopped and looked up at Jax with wide eyes. "No one told me this. When did he get out?"

"Last week." Jax replied after taking a drink from his coffee mug. "He returned to T-M on Monday. Maybe you should stop by the garage and see how he's doing. You'd make his day. After all, you did save his life." He smiled at her.

"I didn't save his life, Jax. All I did was call 9-1-1." Jolene said, a little uncomfortable.

"You'd think different if you heard him tell the story." Jax put his fork down and folded his hands over his plate. "He was seizing and may have seemed unresponsive, Jo, but he knew you were there. He heard you talking to him while you waited for the ambulance. Couldn't see even though his eyes were wide open, but he felt you holding his hand and he heard your voice. He said he held onto the sound of your voice for as long as he could until he couldn't any more. He calls you his Guardian Angel. I'd kick his ass, but he's been through enough. I'll wait 'til he's at least 90 days sober." He kidded.

Jolene smiled. "I'll have to give him a call."

"Why not just stop by the garage afterschool?" Jax asked, trying to avoid naming the elephant in the room.

"I'd rather not." Jolene picked up her plate and coffee mug and headed to the sink.

"Can't keep hiding from your dad, Jo." Jax replied, losing the battle and finally naming the elephant Clay.

"I'm not hiding." Jolene responded as she leaned against the counter with her arms crossed over her chest. "I just got tired of him ignoring me every time I went to the garage or set foot in the Clubhouse."

"Well, now that you've stopped trying, he's become a real asshole." Jax got up from the table and approached Jolene, placing his hands on her waist. "I'm going into Oakland with Clay today, Jo. We're dropping some merch off for LaRoy, but we should be back at the Clubhouse by the time you get back from Stockton. Just drop by and say hi."

Jolene narrowed her eyes at Jax. "Did he put you up to this?" She asked and Jax contemplated lying only because he heard a glimmer of hope in her voice.

He was tempted, but he didn't. "No." Jax replied simply. "He's as stubborn as you are. This apple and the tree bullshit is very fitting when it comes to describing you two." Jolene jabbed him in the gut as he pulled her in for a kiss.

"I'll think about it." Jolene replied as Jax held her close, his arms wrapped around her neck. "I have study group tonight, though so I can't hang around waiting for him to acknowledge that I exist."

"Understood, but trust me," Jax said as the front doorbell rang. "I think he's ready to talk." He let her go and went to answer the door.

Jolene picked up Jax's breakfast dishes and was about to wipe down the table as Jax opened the door.

"Hey," She heard him greet their too-early-for-a visit visitor. "Am I late? I thought we were meeting at Bluebird."

Jolene's heart skipped a beat as their visitor responded. "No, not at all." Clay replied. "I just thought it made sense if I picked you up on the way. If you're not ready, I can wait in the truck."

"No." Jolene said abruptly as she nearly clung to the kitchen doorway for support. Both Jax and Clay turned to look at her. "Come in, Dad. Jax still has to take a shower. I can make you some coffee while you wait."

Clay smiled as he removed his sunglasses. "I'd love some coffee." He said as he entered the foyer.

"I won't be long." Jax said as he closed the door.

"Take your time." Both Clay and Jolene replied in unison. Smiling at each other, Jolene practically ran into her father's open arms.

Yep, Jax smiled to himself as he headed back to their bedroom. It's scary how alike those two really are.


	15. Nomad's Land

**Disclaimer** **: I do not own Sons of Anarchy** **.**

* * *

Donna was milking the situation. She knew this, but it was so rare that she got a moment to herself that she was reluctant to end it. Jolene had volunteered to watch the twins while Donna had taken a much needed and relaxing bath. Jolene herself had told her to take her time. That was well over an hour ago. Now, Donna was standing by the window over her kitchen sink, trying to remain unseen, as she waited for the kettle to boil. She watched Jolene running around the backyard, "trying" to corral the rambunctious 3 year-olds as they ran circles around her. An afternoon in the Winston household and Jolene looked as rundown and overwhelmed as Donna did on a daily basis. Finally giving up on trying to get them both on the swing set at the same time, Jolene tackled Kenny to the ground as he melted into a puddle of giggles, with Ellie throwing herself on Jolene, her little elbow digging into the tender flesh of her chest.

"Yeah, that's gonna leave a bruise." Donna said out loud to no one in particular as she saw Jolene yelp in pain before tickling Ellie off of her. Distracted by the scene of her babies breaking Jolene's spirit, Donna was slow in getting the boiling kettle off the burner. Alerted by the screeching whistle, Jolene perked up.

"Donna Winston! Get your ass out here!" Jolene called out.

"Uh oh! Auntie Jo said ass!" Kenny laughed. "I'm telling!"

"You said it, too!" Ellie pointed at her brother. " _I'm_ telling!"

"Hasn't your daddy taught you two yet that snitches get stitches?" Jolene teased as she got up from the grass, pulling Kenny up and holding him on her hip.

Donna smiled sheepishly as she stepped out into the backyard with two mugs. "I made you some tea." She said sweetly.

"Uh huh. Spiked with tequila, I hope." Jolene looked at Donna suspiciously. "I said take your time, not go on vacation."

"I was only gone an hour." Donna defended herself.

"Really?" Jolene was genuinely shocked. "Jesus Christ! No more sugar for you two." She said, trying to set Kenny down on his feet, but he kept picking his feet up each time she was about to put him down. Giving up, she sat down at the patio table with Kenny on her lap.

"I warned you not to buy them ice cream." Donna sat down opposite Jolene, with Ellie climbing onto her lap before her butt actually hit the chair.

"No. You warned me about spoiling their appetite. You failed to mention the fact that sugar turned them into Gremlins after a midnight feeding." Jolene replied, as Kenny climbed off her lap and went to sit on the swing, quickly followed by his sister. "Son of a bitch! I've been trying to get them to do that for the past hour."

Donna laughed, but quickly sobered up in response to the death glare Jolene threw in her direction. "Welcome to my world, Jo. You sure you're ready to teach a classroom-full of little boogers like these?"

"No offense, but I'd sooner slit my own throat." Jolene replied with a smile, sipping her tea and desperately wishing for a bottle of Patron.

"None taken." Donna chuckled.

"Seriously though, I've don't have much experience dealing with toddlers. You're obviously raising a couple of evil geniuses because not only did they sense it, but they managed to exploit that weakness."

"So what happens now that you are a college grad? Are you officially Miss Morrow, teacher, the molder of young and impressionable minds?" Donna asked as she bobbed her tea bag up and down in the hot liquid.

Jolene shrugged her shoulders. "My mentor is sure I could get a teaching position right now while working towards my Master's, but he's pushing for me to go to grad school first, work towards my Master's degree full time." Jolene replied, gingerly placing the hot tea on the table before her.

"Yeah, he's the one that nominated you for that full ride scholarship, right?" Donna asked and Jolene nodded.

"I got it." Jolene threw out there nonchalantly, her lack of emotion surprising Donna.

Donna's eyes widened. "Jo, those should have been the first words out of your mouth the moment you stepped foot in my house!" She chastised. "Congratulations! That's wonderful."

"Yay, me." Jolene pumped her fist unenthusiastically.

Donna gave her friend a withering look, somewhat surprising Jolene. Damn, she must be taking lessons from Gemma, Jolene thought to herself.

"What is wrong with you? I expected a totally different reaction." Donna said, knowing something was up and that Jolene would not talk about it until she felt nagged to death. "Does Jax know?"

"Yeah, I found out right before he left on this run. He was so happy and proud of me, that bastard."

"Alright, then." Donna started, a little confused. "How come you're not jumping for joy? You are taking it, right? Why am I even asking? Of course you are."

"No, I'm not." Jolene replied, looking Donna straight in the eye. "I can't, D. The program is in San Diego."

Jolene's total lack of enthusiasm made sense now. "Aw, shit." Donna said simply. "Did you turn it down?"

Jolene shook her head. "Not yet. Jax won't let me." She replied. "He thinks it's doable. I told him I think he's crazy, but he insisted that I hold off on making a decision until he gets back from Nevada."

"He _wants_ you to go to San Diego?" Donna was dumbfounded. That didn't sound like the totally obsessed and possessive Jax that Donna had grown to know and get used to.

"You're shocked, right? It gets better." Jolene said sarcastically. "He's talking about going Nomad in order to make it work for us."

Donna plopped her mug of tea onto the table before she dropped the steaming hot brew onto her lap. "You're kidding me?"

Jolene shook her head. "I wish I was."

Jolene loved that asshole beyond words. That Jax would even suggest going Nomad for her proved his level of commitment to her and their relationship, but not at the risk of losing his position in the Club and certainly not at the risk of his life. Jolene worried enough about him when he was on the road now and they never traveled in packs of less than three. The nearest charter to San Diego was in Tucson, a 6½-hour ride to and from, a trip he would be making at least on a weekly basis for Church all by himself. No, she couldn't let him do it. Besides, it would set him back in terms of the progress he has made in SAMCRO. She loved him too much to let him make, in her mind, an unnecessary sacrifice. A full scholarship would have been nice, but she was sure there were other programs closer to home that she could probably afford if she worked and went to school part-time. After exhausting herself in order to complete a four-year degree in less than three, Jolene wasn't sure she wanted to go back to school again anyway, or at least, not so soon.

"I don't know, D. I have so much to think about and consider that San Diego isn't even a priority in my mind." Jolene ran her hand through her hair before pulling it back into a ponytail. Looking at the twins, Jolene couldn't help but smile. Kenny was pushing Ellie ever so gently on the swing, telling her not to be scared. "I think I wanna have a baby." She blurted out before she had finished thinking about saying it aloud.

Donna looked at her friend like she had lost her mind. "Have you lost your mind?"

Jolene was perplexed. "No, I just feel-" She started, but Donna stopped her.

"It's baby fever, Jo. It'll pass." Donna advised. "You're 21, you just graduated college, and are thinking about grad school. Now is not the time for a baby."

"See, I'm not so sure about grad school, D. I've spent my entire life going to school. I just wanna take some time and make Jax my number one priority. Be a real old lady for a little bit." Jolene explained.

Donna was shaking her head. "Sweetheart, having a baby is not for 'a little bit'. Once you have it, the chances that you will go back to finish your degree are slim at best and who says that having a baby makes you a real old lady, anyway? I don't see Jax complaining."

"I just don't know where his head is at, Donna." Jolene started.

"Really? You don't know where his head is at?" Donna asked, the sarcasm dripping from her voice totally wasted on Jolene as she shook her head. "His head is straight up your ass, that's where it's at! Jesus, are you blind? Whatever it is you've got, you should bottle that shit because that man is obsessed. You're his drug, Jo. I don't know how you don't see that."

"What about marriage, then?" Jolene asked. "We talked about marriage in the beginning, but he's never mentioned it again."

"Maybe he's waiting for you to finish school and start your career." Donna replied, making more sense than Jolene was willing to admit. In all fairness, finishing grad school had been part of their five-year plan, with the understanding that marriage would be discussed again after Jolene was teaching. She knew she was stressing over shit that really didn't matter, but Jolene had no clue why.

"Or maybe marriage is no longer part of _his_ plan." Jolene argued, refusing to let go of that train of thought.

"Or maybe you're just being a pain in the ass. You have no reason to be insecure when it comes to Jax and if you're worried about what others are expecting from you as an old lady, screw 'em."

"I hear you and I know you're right, Donna," Jolene agreed reluctantly. "But lately, I've been obsessing over what the hell goes on during these road trips. I mean, women practically throw themselves at him in my fuckin' face all the time. God only know what really goes on during these runs. What if he's no longer feeling an old lady that's focused on herself and her goals? What if he wants someone that's an old lady 24-7?"

"So instead of talking this out with Jax, your solution is to tie him down with a baby?" Donna was incredulous. "Jolene, where the hell is this coming from? You are the last person on earth I would ever peg as insecure. You graduated with a perfect GPA and you have the option of working wherever you want or of going to grad school on a full ride, plus you live with the man of your dreams, a man that worships the fuckin' ground you walk on. Quite frankly, your pity party is starting to nauseate me." Donna said, holding onto her stomach. "You're just scared, Jo. Being a teacher is a shitload of responsibility and having a man that's constantly on the road is tough, I know. Having a baby is not gonna make any of that shit right in your head. You think I don't stress about other women and about what happens on runs? Jax is as loyal as Opie. The fact is Jax always comes back to you and when he's home, he's home. I mean when was the last time he stayed at the Clubhouse?" Donna asked.

Giving it some thought, Jolene realized that since the day they moved in together, the only times he has stayed at the Clubhouse, she had been with him, both of them usually too drunk to drive anywhere. Not even when they argued and got mad at each other did Jax leave the house. Hell, as often as she tried kicking him out of bed when they fought he would refuse to sleep on the couch. They may go to bed angry on those occasions, but they never woke up that way. Yep, angry sex is still way better than make-up sex, Jolene smiled to herself.

Jolene shook her head. "In three years, the only time we've been apart is when he's on a run."

"Exactly! And he's willing to go Nomad just so that you two can be together while you study in San Diego. Your goals are just as important to him as they are to you. What more confirmation do you need? He loves and wants you, Jo. I mean the man can't keep his hands off of you. I'm surprised he hasn't knocked you up already, the way you two go at it. He is all about you. Forget about bringing a baby into the mix right now and enjoy being the old lady that makes Jax happy." Donna advised. "I love my babies and I love being Ope's wife, but sometimes I wish we had given ourselves more time together as a couple. Take it from me. The time will come when you won't remember what life was like before babies, so enjoy the hell out of your time with Jax now."

Jolene smiled at the only other woman in her life whose opinion mattered to her. "You sound like Gemma." She teased.

"Fuck you!" Donna laughed. "You better take that back, too."

"Hey, I calls 'em like I sees 'em." Jolene laughed. "But enough about me. What about you, Mrs. Winston? How is Opie dealing with the fact that come Monday, you'll be a desk jockey over at Oswald Construction?" Jolene asked.

"He's dealing, even though he doesn't see the point in me working when he's earning so well with the Club. I tried explaining that it had nothing to do with money and everything to do with my sanity. Sometimes I just need to get out of the house and do something that's doesn't include play dates or Mommy and Me classes, you know? I need a reason to get out of my PJ's in the morning and interact with other adults. You don't know how happy I am that the twins are now speaking in full sentences cuz I thought I was losing the ability to string more than three words together in a conversation." Donna explained.

"Your mom okay with watching the twins? I'm available if you need my help." Jolene offered.

Suddenly, and without warning, Kenny yanked Ellie off the swing by one of her pigtails. Wailing like a banshee, Ellie picked herself up and ran into her mother's arms, while Kenny tried to pretend he was invisible by standing behind one of the swing set's posts.

"Are you sure about that? You might wanna rethink that offer." Donna smiled as she soothed Ellie, who was clinging to her for dear life as she sobbed, just a tad bit on the melodramatic side.

"I think you're right. This whole hey-I-wanna-have-a-baby jazz is quickly turning into I'm-having-my-tubes-tied-ASAP." Jolene laughed as she got up from the table and headed towards Kenny. The little playa ran up to Jolene and wrapped his little arms around her denim-clad legs.

"I'm sorry." He looked up at Jolene with his puppy dog, grayish blue eyes. Yeah, he knew how to work her.

Jolene ruffled the reddish brown mop atop his head. "I know, sweetie, but you should be apologizing to Ellie. I think you hurt her feelings as well as her head."

"You're not mad, Auntie Jo?" Kenny held his arms up for Jolene to pick him up.

"Nah," Jolene scooped him up and placed him on her hip. "Between you and me, I have a weakness for First 9 progeny."

Jolene was walking towards Donna and a still-crying Ellie when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. It was faint, but the roar of the Harleys she had spent all afternoon listening out for was unmistakable.

"They're home." Jolene said to Donna as she put Kenny down on his feet. Ellie abruptly stopped crying and hopped off her mother's lap. "How do I look?" Jolene loosened her hair, shaking it out. She had just spent the day rolling around in the grass with toddlers. She knew exactly how she looked, but she needed someone to lie to her anyway.

"Bootifool, Auntie Jo." Kenny beamed up at her.

"Awww, aren't you a sweet talker? Hanging around Uncle Jax a bit much, I see."

"He says you're hot as fuck." Kenny informed a shocked Jolene as she heard Donna gasp. "What does that mean?"

Jolene squatted down to eye level with Kenny. "It means something you shouldn't be repeating, peanut, or your mom is gonna box Uncle Jax's ears." Jolene replied.

"Am I in trouble?" Kenny asked, on the verge of tears, or was he? Jolene could never really tell. Damn Winston brood had her wrapped around their collective finger.

"Nah, just don't say that again, okay?" Jolene asked and Kenny nodded before wrapping his little arms around her neck for a hug. "And you thought them speaking in full sentences was a good thing." She directed at Donna as she straightened up.

Jolene got that familiar flutter of excitement in the pit of her stomach as she heard the bikes pull into the Winstons' driveway. Donna and Jolene looked at each other and fought to contain the urge to grab hands and jump up and down in glee like a couple of teenage girls. This had been a long 10-day run into Mayan territory. They were missing their men and they were physically and mentally exhausted from worrying about them all this time. Jolene followed Donna and the twins to the front door, trying to remain passive and not overly-eager, but damn it, she missed her old man! She saw him the second Donna threw open the door, just as Jax pulled off his helmet and jumped off his bike. Kenny and Ellie nearly tripped over each other in order to get to their daddy first. Kneeling on the grass with his arms wide open, Opie went down like a sack of potatoes as his wife and kids tackled him, happily squealing and laughing.

"Welcome home, Ope." Jolene greeted as she ran past the heap of Winstons on the front lawn and leaped into Jax's arms, her legs wrapped around his waist.

"Happy to see me?" Jax smiled, drinking her in.

"Nope." Jolene teased before Jax balled his hands in her hair and nearly smothered her with his kiss, as Jolene kissed him back hungrily.

Barely pulling away from her embrace, Jax laughed. "So you didn't miss me at all?" He asked, his bottom lip curled into a pout as Jolene peppered his face with kisses.

Looking him in the eye, Jolene shook her head. "I barely noticed you were gone." She said with a slight smile.

"I'm not buying it, darlin'. You were burning up my phone at night, begging me to make you cu-" Jax started, but was stopped by Jolene's hand over his mouth.

Jolene gasped. "Jackson! There are innocent children present."

Jax playfully bit her fingers. "That's what I thought. I'm taking you home, make you put your money where your mouth is."

Jolene laughed as her lips gently brushed against his ear. "I'd rather you put something else in my mouth instead." She nearly whispered.

Jax groaned as he pulled her mouth back to his and pressed his lips against hers. "I can make that happen, baby."

"I'm counting on it." Jolene latched onto his bottom lip and tugged with her teeth.

"Keep it up and Ope's gonna have to turn the hose on us." Jax teased.

Jolene ran her hands through his hair and over the over-grown scruff on his face. "I missed you. I feel like I can breathe again."

Jax smiled. "Me, too." He whispered. "Let's go home." As Jax put her down, a sudden twinge in his back made him wince, almost dropping him to his knees.

"You okay?" Jolene asked, concerned, her eyes wide.

"I'm fine, darlin'. Just a little saddle sore." Jax replied, but the look on her face told him Jolene wasn't buying it.

"Take me home, baby, so I can hole myself up with my old man for the next 24 hours and make him feel all better." She cooed.

"Yeah, coming home is definitely the best part of a run, darlin'." Jax wrapped his arms around her shoulders and squeezed her to him as he inhaled the fresh scent of her hair. He was starting to feel better already.

Opie was finally on his feet again, Ellie in one arm and Kenny wrapped around the opposite leg as Donna and Jolene said their good-byes.

"Are you gonna tell her what happened?" Opie asked watching Jax guide Kenny's hand as the little boy executed his first bro-handshake.

Jax was shaking his head. "I don't see the point, Ope."

"Point is she's not stupid.

"Let me get laid first, a'ight? Don't ruin my homecoming by making me rat myself out."

"It wasn't your fault," Opie reasoned. "But she still has the right to know."

"You realize if I tell her you're gonna catch shit too, right?"

"I wasn't the one pissing blood, brother. I may be wrong cuz who the fuck knows what you two get up to, but if that happens again, you won't be getting laid anyhow."

* * *

By the time Jax made it to their bedroom, Jolene had stripped down to her underwear. Leaning against the doorjamb, Jax smiled as Jolene crawled onto the California king-sized bed and bounced up and down on her knees.

"Come here." She beckoned, her breasts barely contained by the black lace demi-cups.

Jax raised an eyebrow. "Hold on. Keep bouncing, darlin'." He commanded. "You have no idea what a beautiful sight that is."

"You like bouncing titties, huh?" Jolene teased.

"Show me a straight man that doesn't." He smiled, his eyes bouncing right along with her breasts.

Flashing him a wicked half grin, Jolene reached behind her and unhooked her bra, throwing it at Jax, her cascade of dark curls barely concealing her already-taut and recently-pierced pink peaks. Shit, he had almost forgotten about the bars decorating her beautiful tits since she had still been healing before he left for his run and wouldn't let him touch them. Smiling, Jax pulled the dainty garment off his head and tossed it on the floor, quickly followed by his cut and long-sleeved t-shirt. He loved being the only one to know just what a dirty girl she really was, the one she kept hidden so well.

Kicking the door closed behind him, Jax smiled. "I hope no one's expecting to see ya for the next couple of days, darlin' cuz this is where you're staying for the foreseeable future."

"Promise?" Jolene hooked her thumbs in the sides of her lacy thong underwear and started pulling them down tortuously slow. His eyes now riveted to his crow below her navel, Jax started unzipping his pants and didn't feel his pre-pay vibrating in his pocket until the third ring.

Jax chuckled to himself bitterly as he pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand, while he pulled out his phone with the other. Seeing the caller i.d., Jax shook his head. "And the hits just keep on comin'." He said to no one in particular before flipping open the phone. "Hey, Otto." Jax greeted as Jolene stopped bouncing and dramatically threw herself down onto the bed.

" _I'm sorry, brother. I know you just got back from a long run and your old lady must be climbing the walls," Big Otto started. "But I'm making a drop for McKeavey tonight and I need some back up."_

Jax sat on the bed, his back to Jolene. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Three had returned from Reno today. He wouldn't suggest Opie knowing how much his friend had missed his family, but this run had been pretty rough on him, too. The last thing he wanted was to leave his old lady and his bed.

"Kyle's not an option?" Jax asked, although he knew the answer.

_"I heard what happened, Jax. Normally, I wouldn't ask you knowing you must be feeling like shit right about now, but Kyle's never an option, brother." Big Otto explained._

"I hear ya." Jax replied. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Jolene's feather-light touch skim over the Reaper on his back. Oh shit, he thought to himself. "What time?" He asked turning to face Jolene. She was sitting with her legs tucked underneath her, her face pale and eyes wide. Jax reached for her with his free hand and she clutched it to her chest.

_"McKeavey's meeting us at the docks at midnight. Let's meet up at the Clubhouse around ten. Gives ya some time with Jo."_

"Sounds good. Catch you then." Jax said before flipping his phone closed. "Darlin'," he started, but Jolene stopped him.

"When were gonna tell me, Jax? Or were you hoping I wouldn't notice?"

"Honestly, baby, I was hoping we'd be too busy to have this conversation right now." Jax replied. "I'm fine, Jo, really."

"When then? When were you gonna tell me that you got shot in the back one, two, three," Jolene started, counting the welts on his back. "Four, five times? Jesus Christ, Jax!" Any one of them could have been fatal, she realized, but the two over his kidneys looked particularly gruesome. That explained the pain he was in before.

"Darlin', I was wearing a vest." He tried reasoning.

"I kinda figured that out myself. Otherwise, we wouldn't be sitting here discussing the fact that you got shot in the back five times!" Jolene was near hysterical.

"No, Jo." She went to get off the bed, but Jax pulled her back. "I'm fine." He wrapped his arms around her, his face buried in her hair. She wasn't crying, but she was shaking uncontrollably.

"This time." Jolene replied, her voice barely audible against his bare shoulder.

"I'm always prepared, darlin'. I always wear a vest on runs." He assured her, pushing her away slightly so he could look into her red and watery eyes. She blinked and a couple of tears fell onto her cheeks. Brushing one away with his thumb, Jax tenderly kissed the other one away.

"A lot of good a vest would have done had even one of those bullets been aimed at your head." She almost whispered, her hands gripping his forearms as his hands cupped her face.

"They were, but the piece of shit was a lousy shot." He teased. Jolene pushed him away angrily, but Jax grabbed her and pushed her onto the bed beneath him.

"I'm sorry." He kissed her mouth softly. "I'm okay and I'm home, darlin'."

Jolene looked up into his eyes, her tears falling freely now. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Jax." She said quietly.

"And hopefully, you'll never have to find out." He kissed her again.

Jolene balled her fist in his hair. "Hopefully? That sounds like wishful thinking, Jax and I don't like the sound of that."

"Jo, you know better than most that certain risks come with the patch." Jax started.

"I know all that. It's just never been so in my face before." Jolene explained. "They wanted you dead, Jax. Who was it? What happened? When?"

Jax was shaking his head. "I don't want to talk about it right now, darlin'." He said as he cupped and gently squeezed her breast. Running his thumb over her nipple, she shuddered as it peaked. Dipping his head, he first kissed and then flicked his tongue over it before sucking it into his mouth.

Jolene moaned, but refused to be distracted. "Jax, I need you to tell me what happened."

Jax sighed, not out of frustration, but because he knew that nothing good would come from Jolene worrying about him, especially with his run with Otto to Oakland on tap for tonight. With his hand gently stroking her beautiful hair, Jax looked her in the eyes.

"It happened the night before last. Me and Ope were riding with Zeus and Gizmo while they collected vigs. We stopped at one of the Reno charter's strip clubs for a drink." Jax explained, noticing a flurry of emotions cross Jolene's face at the mention of a strip club. "We didn't make it inside, Jo. We were ambushed in the parking lot. We weren't even outnumbered, just taken by surprise."

"Who?" Jolene was dumbfounded. The Club's presence in Reno was well established and it was widely known that the Reno charter ran legit businesses, including several strip clubs. No one was stupid enough to ambush a pack of Sons, except maybe meth heads looking for money, Jolene reasoned with herself, or "Mayans?" She asked eyes wide.

Jax nodded his head. "That's the only explanation I have. There were a lot of shots fired, Jo. I went down even before I knew what the fuck was happening. If it was Mayans, they were in plain clothes. I didn't see any cuts or hear any bikes other than ours. It was clear that Ope and I were the only targets. Even Ope caught a couple of slugs in the chest and the attack wasn't about money cuz Zeus was still toting around the money we had collected. They were looking to send a message. Whoever it was took off in some dark cargo van as soon as Zeus and Gizmo returned fire. If it hadn't been for them, it would've been a lot worse." Jax explained.

"Yeah, you'd be dead."

"But I'm not." Jax smiled. "Feel that?" He teased, as he pressed his hips against hers.

"How can I not? You're practically jamming it through my underwear." Jolene giggled.

Jax laughed. "Then take 'em off." He reached between them to finish pulling off her panties when another spasm caused him to groan.

"Jax, you are not okay." Jolene pushed him off of her and onto his back on the bed. "You need to get checked out by someone."

"Darlin', you know that's not possible. I had some issues," Jax started, leaving out the crimson tide streaming out of his dick when he took his first piss the day after the shooting. "But it's all clear now. I'm just sore."

The look she was flashing him, anger, sadness, concern, told him he wasn't getting any until he agreed to getting checked out by a doctor.

"Okay, babe, you win. As soon as the MC returns tomorrow morning from Rogue River, I'll have Chibs put me in contact with a friend of the Club in Galt, a doctor." Jax promised. An ex-doctor, actually, who did patch up work for several MCs in the area. His medical license had been revoked for helping his terminally ill wife kill herself ten years ago and he had done some time in prison. He couldn't write prescriptions, but he still had access to medical equipment and a black market contact for meds, when necessary. "That's the best I can do without red flags going up at St. Thomas. Deal?"

"Can't you call him tonight? See if he can get this doctor to see you ASAP." She insisted, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Darlin', I've been a good boy these past ten days. Do I have to spell it out for you, sweetheart? I want, no, I _need_ your pussy." Jax replied, pulling her towards him.

Jolene narrowed her eyes at Jax. "So what are you saying? Had you known I was going to be such a hard ass about this, you would've spent the last ten days getting laid in Nevada?"

Confused, Jax shook his head. "No, that's not what I said! Where the fuck did that come from?"

"Forget it." Jolene went to climb off the bed, but, pain in his lower back or not, she wasn't getting away from him that easy.

"Whoa!" Grabbing her by the waist, Jax pulled her back down onto the bed and straddled her hips. "I know you're dealing with some scary, fucked up emotions right now, but I'm not dead, I promised to get myself checked out, and I came home eager to make love to my old lady. Aside from being at the wrong place at the wrong time, what have I done to piss you off, Jo?"

Good question, Jolene said to herself. The mere thought of losing him had a near-crippling effect on her. For the past ten days his safety was all that had been on her mind, especially after he suggested going Nomad in order for her to study in San Diego. She'd rip her own heart out if anything ever happened to him because what good would it do her without Jax?

Holding herself up on one elbow, Jolene reached for Jax and pulled him towards her. "I'm sorry." She almost whispered as Jax cupped her face and kissed her long and slow, like they had all the time in the world.

* * *

After taking over the lead from Jax and making love to him like only she could, Jolene was back to being mad at him. During all their back and forth regarding what had happened during the Reno run, Jax had neglected to mention the purpose of the phone call that had started it all. She was upset that instead of curling up in each other's arms, Jax was getting ready to leave for Oakland with Big Otto. Jax couldn't really blame her, though, because he was a little tweaked himself. She was laying on her side in a fetal position, the oversized, fluffy bathrobe she wore nearly swallowing her up as she watched him get dressed.

"You still mad at me, darlin'?" Jax asked, watching her through the mirror of the dresser as he brushed his still-damp hair.

"I'm not mad, baby." Jolene replied, pulling herself up into a sitting position. "Just scared shitless and anxious with worry."

"There's no reason to be, Jo." Jax walked over to the bed and, grabbing her by the fluffy collar of her robe, pulled her onto her knees. "I've never felt better and I'm not bullshitting you when I say that, darlin'. You, that soak in the tub, and those awesome painkillers of yours have worked wonders, I promise."

Jolene stroked the hair on his jaw line and smiled. He had trimmed the scruff threatening to overtake his handsome face. Of course, Jax had to snake his arms around her waist _underneath_ her robe, until his hands latched onto her bare ass as he pulled her flush against his body. Her robe having come undone, Jolene was pressed against Jax flesh to leather.

"I'm sorry if I came across like some nagging harpy." Jolene said as Jax dipped his head and first kissed her lips, then moved onto her neck.

"Never." He muffled against her throat as he alternated sucking and kissing her neck, making all her naughty bits tingle.

"Don't you have somewhere you need to be?" Jolene asked, her breathing quickening as one of Jax's hands moved from her ass to cup her breast.

Lifting his head briefly, Jax checked the alarm clock on the nightstand and quickly went back to working the sensitive area between her ear and clavicle. "I've got time."

Jolene moaned against her will. "You just got dressed, baby."

Looking into her eyes, Jax gave her a cheeky grin. "I need only one of us to be naked, darlin'." He said as he pushed the robe off her shoulders and let it fall onto the bed.

Jolene swung her legs around and sat down. "Leaving your cut on?" She smiled, pulling him towards her in order to unzip his jeans. "Kinky. I like."

Jax watched, his breathing also a little faster, as Jolene pulled him out of his pants. Before she could take the lead again, Jax gently pushed her back onto the bed. Grabbing her hips as she opened her legs up for him, Jax pulled her towards him and pushed himself inside her. Jolene arched her back, her hands behind her head, and cried out for him as he thrust into her hard and deep.

Jolene was passionately verbal, had been since the beginning, but not in the over-the-top and exaggerated way he had been accustomed to with other women. She was loud, though, and had the tendency to scream, which was one of the reasons she had an aversion to having sex at the Clubhouse. Bikers were not known to be discreet when it came to pussy. Although no one ever stepped over the line with her, she was always on the receiving end of some knowing looks, with Jax getting the occasional pat on the back after one of their more energetic sessions at the Clubhouse.

He loved that she was vocal and, when particularly hot for him, obscene, but what he loved most about her was how her every emotion played itself across her beautiful face as he made love to her. Whatever she was feeling was raw and never held back, whether it was passion, playfulness, anger, and sometimes even pain. Tonight there was a little bit of everything in the way she was looking at him as she beckoned him into her arms. Pulling out, Jax dipped his head and lovingly kissed his crow below her navel, dimpling her flesh with goose pimples, before climbing onto the bed and into her again.

"I love you, Jackson." She was nearly breathless as Jax picked up speed.

"I know, darlin'." He was breathing hard as he kissed her. "I love you more."

* * *

It was a quarter to ten when Jax was finally able to pull himself away from Jolene. Jax smiled as she had tried to hook him into playing "one more kiss" and had to remind her several times that Otto was counting on him. Before stepping out the front door, Jax pulled her in for one last kiss and made her promise that she'd wait up for him. Watching him rip out of their driveway, heading towards the Clubhouse, Jolene made plans for a little nap, before settling down in front of the TV in order to wait up for her old man. Unfortunately, Charming's reigning queen and her lady-in-waiting had a different plan in mind.

Not ten minutes after setting her alarm and burrowing into Jax's pillow, clutching the long-sleeved tee he had worn earlier, Jolene was dragged out of bed by Gemma, Luann, a bottle of pinot noir, and a pizza.

"Thought you might like some company." Gemma smiled as she stepped into the foyer the second Jolene opened the door.

"I would, but he's on his way to Oak-Town." Jolene replied with a cheeky grin as she led them to the living room.

"Yeah, I know and I knew I'd find ya all mopey and shit." Gemma said, her hand on her hip. "I don't know how you survived these past ten days."

"Lots of phone sex while taking long, hot baths." Jolene retorted, prompting Luann to laugh out loud while Gemma gave her the stink eye. "Have a seat. I'll get the glasses and plates, and I was just kidding, you know."

"No you weren't." Gemma responded as she sat in the black leather armchair, with Luann taking a seat to her left on the couch.

Jolene returned to the living room balancing some plates and napkins in one hand and holding three wine glasses by the stems in the other. "I don't have a corkscrew." She announced.

"No worries." Luann picked up her giant red Birkin bag from the floor. "I'm always prepared." She smiled as she pulled out a corkscrew, and a second bottle of wine, and proceeded to open one of the bottles.

"I'm impressed. Have anything else in there that might take the edge off?" Jolene asked, sitting sideways facing Luann with her legs tucked underneath her bathrobe.

"I believe what you're referring to," Gemma started, pulling out a baggie with several rolled up joints from her purse. "Is down _my_ alley." She tossed the bag to Jolene, followed by a lighter. As Luann went about pouring generous glasses of wine, Jolene lit up a joint and took several hits before passing it over in exchange for a glass of the pinot noir.

Gemma was looking at Jolene with a quirked eyebrow and a slight smirk on her face. "You're not a regular toker, sweetheart. Something bothering you?"

Her game face firmly in place, Jolene shook her head as she sipped her wine. "Aside from just barely getting the chance to stop missing Jax before he's off again, nope. Everything is alright with my world."

"Yeah, Otto felt really bad about that, Jo, but Jax is his go-to guy. They make quite a team." Luann said as she brushed several highlighted locks of hair away from her eyes.

Luann was wearing a silvery tight, cleavage baring shirt and tight white slacks with red platform Louboutins. Not exactly girls-night-in attire, but also not unusual for Luann. Gemma, on the other hand, although always fashionable, was dressed to kill in black leggings, a black knit shirt with cut-out sleeves and silver chains strung across an open back, and mile-high Prada boots, leading Jolene to believe that their original plans for the evening had been scrapped in lieu of pizza and weed. Something was up.

"Although I want to believe you, baby girl, everything being alright with your world is just plain bullshit, so why not just tell me what's been clawing at you these past couple of weeks." Gemma demanded, before setting loose a long stream of pot smoke through her pursed lips.

"Awww, and here I thought you just wanted to spend some quality time with me. In actuality, it's a fact-finding mission." Jolene replied, the bitterness in her voice taking Luann by surprise, but forcing a Cheshire cat grin out of Gemma.

"You know me so well, sweetheart." Gemma said. "Now spill it."

There were just too many directions this conversation could go in. Before Jolene opened her mouth and wedged her foot firmly in it, she needed to conduct her own fact-finding mission. "What have you heard?" Jolene took several more tokes from the joint Luann handed back to her and then realized she needed to slow down or she'd get too relaxed and suddenly develop diarrhea of the mouth.

"Well, I heard there's a chance that you and Jax may be making a move to San Diego." Gemma replied.

Too late to recover her composure, Jolene's mouth fell open. Aside from Jax, Donna was the only other person she had told. Just how close Gemma had gotten to Donna was always difficult to gauge because Donna tended to keep other old ladies at arm's length. No, her bestie would never rat her out, Jolene reasoned, even if she had not specifically asked that such Intel be kept on the down low. And knowing Jax, he'd probably wait to tell Gemma when he called her from their new place in San Diego.

"I see the wheels turning in your head, Jolene. Before you start compiling a hit list of possible snitches, blame Luann." Gemma said, almost causing Luann to choke on her wine.

"Gemma!" Luann was indignant. Gemma just shrugged her shoulders as she sipped from her wine glass.

"I'm sorry, Luann. I don't know where you got the 4-1-1, but you have been misinformed." Jolene replied calmly. Leaning towards the coffee table, Jolene flipped open the pizza box. "Pizza?" She offered as she slapped a pepperoni laden slice on a plate.

"Not possible, Jolene. She heard it straight from the one who got you the scholarship in the first place." Gemma retorted. "Patrick Doyle."

Jolene narrowed her eyes at Gemma. "Shit." She muttered under her breath as Gemma flashed her the "Gotcha!" look.

Jolene had forgotten that Pat Doyle was Big Otto's nephew, his sister Georgia's oldest son. Pat had grown up in Stockton, far away from the MC life. He was as straight-laced and serious as they came. A teacher himself, he was a member of the San Joaquin School Board and had been Jolene's mentor during her last year of college. And apparently, as she was quickly learning, a bit of a blabber mouth as well.

Taking a bite from her slice of pizza, Jolene took her time thoroughly chewing it. "Well, then, Pat Doyle has been misinformed. I have no plans on going to San Diego, with or without Jax."

Gemma raised an eyebrow before letting herself smile. "Good." She said simply.

Jolene was shocked. "Good? I was offered a full-ride scholarship for one of the most prestigious Master's degree programs in California and all you can say is it's good that I'm turning it down?"

"Congratulations. Is that better?" Gemma asked, sarcastically. "But I'd be lying if I said I was sad that you turned it down."

"I haven't turned it down." Jolene informed Gemma, her chin slightly raised. "Jax won't let me."

"What?" Now it was Gemma's turn to nearly choke on her wine. "He wants you to go to San Diego without him?"

"Not without him." Jolene replied simply.

Luann and Gemma exchanged wide-eyed looks. "No." Gemma insisted. "There's only one way that's possible and that would be stupid on his part and dangerous."

"Jax is going Nomad?" Luann asked, her hand over her heart. "That's so romantic." Both Gemma and Jolene looked at her like she had just sprouted a third silicone tit, on her forehead.

"Wait." Jolene put her hand up. "Before you start throwing shit, Gemma, I am as against this as you are." Especially after some Mayan scumbags had used her old man's back for target practice, but Jolene was not naïve enough to share that piece of Intel with Mama Bear. Jax would kill her himself.

"The road is dangerous enough for a Son, even when he has his brothers backing him up. A Nomad has no ties to anyone." Gemma started. "Unless you want to get that phone call in the middle of the night telling you where to go pick up the body, I suggest you talk your old man into staying put."

"You're preaching to the choir, Gemma. I don't care if I never get my Master's degree, I would never let him do it." Jolene replied, her throat suddenly thick with tears. That picking-up-the-body comment hit just a little too close for comfort.

"Why wouldn't you get your degree?" Luann questioned. "I'm sure there are other programs closer to home, sweetie."

"Damn straight there are." Gemma chimed in.

"I know and I've already checked out a couple. Grad school's expensive and time-consuming. Impossible without me working, but working full-time and going to school part-time is not a realistic option. I'd never see Jax or my family." Jolene explained.

"I find it hard to believe that Jax has not offered to pay for school." Gemma commented.

"He has," Jolene assured her. When it came to Jolene, Jax was generous to a fault. "But I can't let him do that, Gemma. He pays for everything around here as it is. I can't let my chosen career path be a burden on him, too."

"Why not? I'm sure his is on you." Luann reasoned, only to have Gemma look at her like a slap upside the head was imminent.

"First off, drop this bullshit guilt, Jolene." Gemma started angrily. "Jax takes care of you because he wants to, not out of any sense of obligation. You're his old lady and he loves you. He takes pride in your accomplishments and believe me, if I know my son, Jax reaps his compensation in other ways. If it wasn't for Otto, I'm sure we wouldn't be having this conversation until Jax let you come up for air, a week from next Tuesday."

"How about working part-time and going to school part-time?" Luann suggested.

"Yeah and after ten years flipping burgers, you'll still be six months shy of your Master's degree." Gemma said sarcastically.

"Well, that would all depend on the part-time job, now wouldn't it?" Luann asked. Gemma and Jolene exchanged looks, knowing that neither of them should be surprised by what Luann was about to say next.

"How old are ya, 18, 19?" Luann asked, refilling her glass of wine.

"Jesus Christ, Luann! Don't you have any concept of time?" Gemma questioned. "That would explain why you're always late. Jolene's 21." She pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her bag.

"No way!" Luann laughed. "I swear, you look better than most my girls and a couple of them _are_ 18\. Let me see your ass."

Jolene gave her a look that said "WTF", while Gemma tried not to laugh as she lit her smoke.

"Don't even think about it, Luann." Gemma advised. "Jax and Clay will beat each other with a stick in order to be the one that gets to cut your heart out."

Jolene turned to Gemma. "Please tell me that's not what she's thinking." She nearly begged, while searching for another joint to light.

"What?" Luann asked, innocently. "I've seen her tits, which by the way, are in-fucking-credible. No amount of money will get you a rack like that. I just need to see her ass to make a fair evaluation." She added and now it was Gemma's turn to give Jolene the WTF look.

"I made the mistake of telling her I had my nipples pierced." Jolene replied, waving Gemma's unasked questions away. "And no, I'm not gonna show you my ass, Jesus Christ!" She said to Luann as she tightly pulled her bathrobe around herself.

"I bet it's fabulous." Luann said in a sing-song voice, giving her a smile that was a borderline leer. "I don't know what it is about bikers and asses, but the way you drive Jax crazy, I know your ass is killer. You could make a lot of money, even just working part-time."

"Luann Delaney, either you've lost your fuckin' mind or you've been hittin' something a little harder than red wine." Gemma rebuffed Luann with a hand on her waist.

"I'm flattered, sweetie and, if I'm honest, a little disturbed, but I'm not cut out for taking it up the ass on film. I prefer the privacy of my own bedroom." Jolene explained. Luann and Gemma looked at each other before bursting out in laughter. "You know what I mean. God, what are you two, in middle school?"

"Awww, don't be mad, sweetheart," Luann reached across the couch to pat her hand. "There's nothing wrong with a little ass play with the one you love." She teased causing Gemma to almost choke for the second time tonight, except this time on the smoke from her cigarette.

"Forget it, Luann, she doesn't have much of a future in porn anyway," Gemma stated, jokingly. "Not with that crow right above her pussy."

"Oh shit, is that where he tagged you? If that's not a statement, I don't know what is." Luann marveled.

"My Jax is a greedy bastard. Wants to make sure no one plays with his toys." Gemma said.

"I'm not gonna lie and say I'll take it under consideration, but I do appreciate the offer, Luann." Jolene smiled at her well-meaning, but apparently alcohol-impaired friend.

"However you decide to play this out, Jolene, you work that ass magic that my son loves so much and you keep him from going Nomad." Gemma warned, before gulping down the remnants of her wine glass. "By any means necessary."

* * *

It was almost eight o'clock in the morning when Jolene decided that she needed to get out of the house. Sitting around, dialing a phone number that kept going into voice-mail was bound to drive her crazy. She changed into a pair of cargo pants, a cable knit sweater and boots, dropped the Glock from the drawer of Jax's bedside table into her bag, and headed to the garage.

Jolene tore into the T-M parking lot and came to a screeching halt outside the Clubhouse. Jax's bike was parked in its usual spot, but that didn't really mean shit. Money drops were usually done in plain clothes while riding in cages. Jax would have left his bike on the lot before heading to Oakland last night. Jolene jumped out of her Mustang, her heart pounding against her rib cage, her eyes wild, her hair wilder still.

She was approaching the Clubhouse door just as Bobby stepped outside, the sound of screeching tires all too familiar. Knowing why she looked like she was about to jump out of her skin, Bobby grabbed Jolene by the shoulders and tried to sooth her.

"He's alright, Kit." Bobby started in a manner that should have been reassuring, but wasn't.

"Where the fuck is he, Bobby?" She asked, her pale green eyes wide and bloodshot. "He didn't come home last night."

"Shit went down pretty bad at the docks last night," Bobby started and Jolene tried to break free of his hold in order to make a run for it before he told her something she didn't really want to hear. "Kit, calm down! He's fine and on his way."

"You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" Jolene asked, unable to keep tears from falling onto her cheeks.

"Never, sweetheart." Bobby assured her. "The drop went bad, but Jax was able to get out of there with McKeavey. He took him up to the cabin for safekeeping with Piney until we can get him out of the country. Your old man is fine and should be here soon."

Jolene took a deep breath and tried to smile, but failed miserably. Bobby pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight, kissing her forehead. Wiping away her tears, Jolene pulled herself out of his embrace and jumped onto the picnic table, the sudden sense of relief liquefying her legs.

"Come inside, Kit. I'll make you some coffee." Bobby offered, not ready to share the real bad news until Jax made an appearance and set her mind at ease.

Jolene shook her head. "Thanks, Uncle Elvis, but I want to wait for Jax out here."

"Want some company?" Bobby asked and Jolene nodded. Bobby sat next to Jolene's booted feet on the bench, his arms crossed over his ample belly.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Tahoe?" Jolene asked as she ran her hands through her hair.

"Yeah, I was supposed to perform through the weekend, but Clay called me back early. As a matter of fact, the rest of the Club should be trickling in soon, too. They got an early start back from Rogue River last night." Bobby explained. Initially focused on Jax's whereabouts, it finally started to dawn on Jolene that something was not right.

"Where's Otto? Is he with Jax?" She asked. Bobby flipped the question around in his mind and was about to respond when a black cargo van turned into the gate, stopping near the tow truck by the garage.

As if she had been holding her breath since Jax had left her last night, Jolene exhaled and jumped off the table. Seeing Jax step out of the driver's side, she broke into a sprint and ran into his open arms. Jax closed his eyes as he hugged her to him, trying to stop her from shaking.

Holding her face in his hands, Jax pulled her in for a kiss. "You alright, darlin'?" He asked as her anxiety was rolling off her in waves.

"I'm much better now." She smiled, albeit a little weakly. "What happened, Jax? Why didn't you come home?" With Jax's arm draped over her shoulders, Jolene snaked her arm around his waist as they started walking towards Bobby.

Jax chuckled to himself bitterly. He was starting to question the sensibility of full disclosure with his old lady because as of today, things were about to get seriously harsh around here.

"We were ambushed again." He started. Jolene, eyes wide like saucers, opened her mouth to speak, but Jax stopped her. "I know, darlin', I know. This is starting to feel like a Mayan declaration of war. I'm sure I wasn't the intended target this time, but they were definitely out for blood last night. Irish blood." Jax explained as they stopped in front of Bobby.

"You think they were targeting McKeavey?" Bobby questioned.

Jax nodded. "I'm sure of it. One of our port contacts must have flipped on us. These dudes were dressed like dock workers and they knew exactly why we were there." He continued. "Otto ordered me to get McKeavey and the money out of Oakland while he held them back. Irish hardware is some pretty bad ass shit. Otto had them scurrying like roaches, but last I heard, he got pinched by Oakland's finest trying to leave the dockyard. Any word from Rosen?"

Bobby was shaking his head. "He's being arraigned this morning. According to Rosen, gun charges, trespassing, and resisting arrest are what they're going for, but with Otto's record, it doesn't look good."

"Shit!" Jax cursed himself. "I shouldn't have left him, bro."

"You did what your VP ordered you to do, Jax, which was to protect McKeavey. SAMCRO would have been in the shit with the RIRA had McKeavey been taken out, or worse yet, picked up by the cops. The man's wanted in all continents except Antarctica. You did the right thing, brother." Bobby assured him, in turn setting Jolene's mind at ease. She had no clue what went on behind closed Chapel doors, but she knew enough to know what it meant to leave a brother behind enemy lines. Had Jax been looking to save his own hide, he would be treated as a traitor and excommunicated, if he was lucky. If not, Jolene wouldn't even have a body to identify.

"Ope and Kyle should be here soon and the Club's less than an hour away. We're gonna deal with this, Jax. Don't beat yourself up, man." Bobby counseled. "Let's go inside. Nerves have been keeping me busy and I baked a batch of banana nut muffins for breakfast." Bobby smiled as Jolene perked up.

* * *

It was approaching 11:00 in the morning when Clay entered the Chapel. The other members, with the exception of Piney, were already seated at the table. The mood was somber and as Clay surveyed his brothers, the room seemed almost unrecognizable, especially when his eyes fell on the empty chair of his VP. Clay took his seat at the head of the table and banged the gavel, calling Church to order.

"I just got off the phone with Rosen." Clay started, pulling a cigar from the front pocket of his cut. "Otto's okay. He was processed and arraigned this morning. He sustained some minor injuries at the docks, no doubt at the hands of the cops, and they're moving him to the Oakland County lock-up as soon as he's out of the infirmary."

"Well, at least he's whole, brother." Bobby commented, verbally expressing the relief felt around the room.

"Not for long." Clay replied grimly. "He's going into Gen Pop until his bail hearing."

"When's that?" Bobby asked.

"Not 'til some time next week." Clay replied.

"Shit, that's not good." Tig said angrily. "This bullshit with the Mayans, man, with no protection, he'll be dead by the end of _this_ week."

"I know. Alvarez has been making a lot of noise over Nevada and our deal with the Niners not to sell to brown. That shit in Reno, those were just warning shots, boys." Clay said as he looked over at Jax and Opie. "If I were the Mayan Prez, I wouldn't let this prime opportunity to make a move on a SAMCRO officer pass. That's why we need to take steps to secure Otto some cover."

"So what's the plan?" Jax asked, flicking the ash from his cigarette into the ashtray before him on the table.

"We need to secure protection for Otto, and the only way I can see my way around it is to bring in the largest presence in County lock-up. The Aryan Brotherhood." Clay replied.

"You mean the Nords?" Juice asked from behind his laptop.

"Shit, brutha, there's almost as much bad blood there as there is with the Mayans." Chibs said disbelievingly, his Scottish accent thick. "Why the hell would the Nords protect Otto?"

"They wouldn't. That's why I'm proposing we make a deal with Darby that would give him what he's always wanted." Clay stated. "The chance to cook in Charming."

The silence in the room was palpable and then it erupted like a volcano. With everyone talking over each other, trying to get his attention, the noise level in the room was deafening. Clay banged his gavel on the table.

"If you all are going to cut me a new one, please do so in an orderly fashion! I'll hear each of you out, just one at a time, for Chrissakes." Clay nearly bellowed. Remembering Jax's run-in with Darby's crew a while back for trying to set up shop in Charming, Clay pointed at him. "You first."

"I understand the logic, Clay, but it's a bad idea." Jax started, but was interrupted by Bobby.

"What fuckin' logic? It makes no goddamn sense letting that parasite set foot in Charming." Bobby argued, forcing Clay to bang his gavel again.

"Do I have to bring out the talking stick? Let him finish." Clay retorted.

"I just think letting the Nords get a foot hold inside Charming is bad news. Bad for us, bad for the town. Once they start cooking, it's only a matter of time before they start dealing. You think Darby's a parasite? He has a customer base of degenerate meth heads and with them comes a whole new category of quality-of-life issues that will put Charming on all sorts of shit lists." Jax said ominously.

"I agree." Kyle said. "I can't see Darby agreeing to cooking without selling. Drugs in Charming will just bring the feds right to our front door by way of the DEA, followed by the FBI, and finally the clusterfuck that is our dear friends at the ATF."

"This is bad shit, brother. I've seen just way too much death and destruction by way of the drug trade in my lifetime. I'd hate to see Charming go down the shit hole." Bobby said, shaking his head.

"Those scum bags were responsible for putting Lowell at death's door." Opie chimed in. "Even after all this time that kid's still not right in the head. You let crank into Charming, there's no way that's not gonna blow back on us."

Clay rubbed his face with both hands. "Don't you think I know all of that?" He almost growled. He's had to deal with some serious shit over the years while wielding the gavel, but a brother's life was hanging in the balance. "Right now we have to think about Otto's safety. That's first." He pointed to Bobby, his most trusted friend and his conscience. "Otto is our brother and VP. He's loyal to his Club and would gladly take a bullet for anyone wearing the Reaper. I would no more let him twist in the wind than I would anybody at this table. This is a temporary solution until we can provide better protection for him."

"Once we get permanent protection for Otto, what then? How do we get rid of the Nords when we no longer need them?" Jax asked.

"That's when we renegotiate the terms of our agreement the only way a Son knows how—painfully and with as much blood as necessary." Clay smiled. "Now unless someone else can come up with another brilliant idea, this is the only way I can see Otto clear." He stated. His steely blue gaze traveled around the room. "Do we need to take a vote?" Silence reigned.

"Hell's no." Tig spoke up. "I like pain and blood. Sounds like good times ahead."

With no objections, Clay turned to Kyle. "Set up a meet with Darby at Nicky's diner, ASAP." He ordered. Clay slammed the gavel down. "Meeting adjourned."

As the Club members headed out towards the bar, Clay called Jax and Kyle back to the table. "Hang back for a minute."

Jax and Kyle looked at each other and then stepped back into the Chapel.

"I didn't want to bring this up at the table, not with his brothers worried about Otto's health while he's inside," Clay started. "But Rosen's not optimistic about getting him out on bail, not with his record. He was caught red-handed and they even have surveillance of him punching out a pig. It's unlikely Otto will be out anytime in the near future."

"How long are we talking here?" Kyle asked.

"He was charged with weapons possession, aggravated assault on a police officer, menacing, and trespassing. Rosen's sure he can sweep menacing and trespassing off the table, but realistically, Otto's looking at seven to ten. If he pleads it down, it will probably be two, three years minimum." Clay sighed. "That's why I called you two back in here. With my right hand out of commission, I'm going to need the both of you to really step up your game, shoulder a lot of Otto's responsibilities until we see how this plays out. I need to know that I can count on you both."

"You know you can count on me, bro." Jax replied. "I wouldn't let down Otto or the Club." Although Jax knew Otto had made the right call tasking him with getting McKeavey to safety, Jax was sure Big Otto wouldn't be in this mess had he stayed behind last night.

"Same here, Clay. I'm real sorry that this happened to the Big O, but we can keep the Club intact. In fact, I think you'll be surprised by how well I—we can handle business." Kyle said, looking towards Jax.

"Good, that's all I needed to hear." Clay said emphatically, pushing himself up from his chair. "Kyle, get the Charming Welcome Wagon set for our meeting with Darby right away. I want you and Tig with me when we sit down. Jax, take Bobby and go check on McKeavey at the cabin. Make sure he's sitting tight and that all his needs are met. I put a call in with Tacoma for Happy to come down. He'll get McKeavey across the border into Canada in the next couple of days."

"No problem." Jax nodded. "But before you meet with the Nords, you might want to think about talking to Unser, give him a heads up. If you pull this off with Darby, we are going to need his help keeping Deputy Dog on a short leash. If Captain America gets a whiff that Darby is operating in Charming with SAMCRO's blessing, he will do what he can to make sure we're all doing time with Otto."

Clay nodded. "Smart thinking. I'll talk to Unser as soon as we get the deal with Darby and his crew in place."

* * *

Exiting the Chapel, Jax looked around the main room for his old lady. "Did Jo leave?" Jax asked as he approached Bobby, who was nursing a beer at the bar.

"Naw, she crashed and burned on the couch. I sent her off to your old dorm to get some sleep." Bobby replied. "Kit's taking this shit hard, man. She know what happened to you in Reno?"

Jax nodded as he bit his bottom lip. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Isn't that what we're doing?" Bobby smiled at Jax. "What's on your mind, brother?"

"Same thing that's always on my mind, Bobby." Jax hopped onto one of the stools.

"Don't worry too much about your old lady, Jax. She's strong. Dare I say, she's Gemma-strong. She'll pull through this. Jolene just loves you too goddamn much. There's just no accounting for taste, I guess." Bobby kidded.

"Thanks." Jax said sarcastically.

"Anytime." Bobby flashed him a cheeky grin.

"Did she tell you about the grad school scholarship she won?" Jax asked while lighting a cigarette.

"Son of a bitch! No, she didn't tell me. This is for that program in San Diego, right?" Bobby asked and Jax nodded while taking a deep pull from his smoke.

Jax exhaled and looked Bobby in the eye. "I want her to go."

Bobby's eyes widened involuntarily. "Fuck, Jax. What the hell does that mean?"

"It means I love her and I want what's best for her and now with this shitstorm with the Mayans brewing, it makes sense." Jax started. "But I can't let her go, Bobby. Not without me."

"I figured as much. There's only one way to work around that, Jax and if my advice is what you're looking for, I have to tell ya, now is not the time for you to go Nomad." Bobby advised. "She worries about you now. With you alone on the road, she'll never make it through grad school."

Jax was shaking his head. "She's fuckin' amazing, Bobby. She's beautiful, inside and out, and she's got this brilliant fuckin' mind . . . I can't just let her waste it away here in Charming cuz of me."

"You don't have to sell me on Kit, Jax. I'm with ya, but I don't see her complaining about 'wasting it away' here with you. Besides, with Otto in the clink, the Club needs you right here, man."

"I know." Jax agreed.

"Son," Bobby patted Jax on the shoulder of his cut. "If I know my Kit, the last thing she wants is for you to jeopardize your own safety as well as your standing in SAMCRO because of what you think she wants or needs. After the night she's had, go comfort your old lady for a little bit and let her know that both of you are staying put where you belong and you two belong nowhere if not with each other."


	16. Crossroads

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy** **.**

* * *

Clapping Bobby on the back, Jax got off the bar stool and headed towards the dorms to check on his old lady. Kyle, who had been tasked with contacting Darby, flipped his phone shut as he watched Jax swagger past the table he was sitting at. With a slight smile on his face, he shook his head. In his 17 years as a Son, Kyle had heard stories of brothers switching charters just to get away from clingy bitches, so going Nomad to get away from pussy he could understand, but Jackson Teller going Nomad _for_ pussy? His old man must be doing back flips in his grave. Sometimes the fuckin' MC world made no goddamn sense and, for once, Kyle was glad. Let the son of a bitch throw it all away for a piece of ass. It certainly made no sense to Kyle, especially since he'd been convinced that the only reason Teller had hooked up with the Princess was to secure the top spot for himself. Now with Otto all but guaranteed to go away for a long stretch, the chance had presented itself for Teller to make a move that would get him that much closer. Instead, he was going to throw it away just so his gash could go to grad school. Either the asshole loved the haughty bitch or she sucked a mean dick.

Either way, why should Kyle give a shit? All he needed to know was that with Teller not in the running, his chances of moving up the table and into Big Otto's chair had just improved tenfold. Looking around the Clubhouse, his brothers-scattered across the main room-seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. Each one was no doubt remembering what it felt like to be in Otto's place as each and every man in this Clubhouse, including Teller had spent some time in lock-up. For Kyle, though, waking up to the news of Big Otto's arrest had felt like waking up on Christmas morning as a kid. News of Otto getting shanked before they could secure protection would be the icing on his cake. Karma had finally caught up with his former best friend for constantly dicking him over throughout the years. As far as Kyle was concerned, it was good-bye and good riddance to Otto Delaney.

With Otto no longer in a position of power, he held no sway over Clay. For the past three years, Kyle had fallen in line and played the part of a good little soldier, making sure to steer clear of Jax and his old lady so as to not rock the boat with daddy dearest. From the outside, Kyle was sure it looked like he had put aside all the bad history between him and Jax and had re-focused himself on being an asset to the Club. On a personal level, although Jax spoke to Kyle only when necessary, April had forged an unlikely friendship with Jolene when she volunteered to tutor their oldest son. Charlie had been in danger of repeating his sophomore year because he was failing remedial algebra and, with Jolene's help, he had ended the semester with a B-minus. The bitch was smart, Kyle would give her that much, and it didn't hurt that she was every 16-year old boy's wet dream personified. April's gratitude towards Jolene was genuine and Kyle was sure that had to count for something in Clay's book.

His hard work and patience seemed to finally be paying off in spite of Big Otto's low opinion of him. That was evidenced by the fact that not only had his Pres given him more and more opportunities to earn for the Club, but now he had been tapped to sit in on what could possibly be the most important meeting for SAMCRO in recent history. For meetings such as these, Clay usually rolled up with his VP and SAA, so yeah, Kyle was more than just a little confident that in no time at all he would be the next Vice President of the mother charter.

Realizing that he had been preoccupied with eavesdropping on Jax's conversation with Bobby when he should have been reaching out to Darby, Kyle jumped up from his seat and headed outside to make the call. Clay was probably waiting for an update on his proposed meeting with the Nords and now wasn't the time to disappoint.

* * *

"Here comes that weaselly-looking fuck." Tig announced, chewing on a toothpick, as he approached Clay's table and slid into the booth behind him.

"Is he alone?" Clay asked over his shoulder, keeping his eye on the entrance from the parking lot into Nicky's Diner.

Tig chuckled gleefully. "Nah, his second-in-command, the eunuch No-Nuts is with him." He said referring to Whistler, the Nord Jax had castrated at the Hairy Dog three years ago.

As if on cue, Ernest Darby sauntered into the restaurant, his hate-inspired ink on display in a white wife-beater, jeans, and cowboy boots, his bald head glistening with perspiration even though it was a comfortable 75 degrees outside. Whistler, stone-faced and dressed in all black followed closely behind and without asking to sit down, slid into the booth and sat in front of Kyle, with Darby taking the seat in front of Clay.

"Clay Morrow," Darby drawled in his snake oil salesman voice. "It's been a long time, no see."

Flashing a toothy grin that was more menacing than welcoming, Clay nodded in agreement. "Yes it has. Last I heard you were doing a nickel in Chino. Time off for good behavior?" He asked, referring to Darby's last arrest shortly after the Hairy Dog incident.

Darby nodded. "Unfortunately, Chino is starting to feel more like home than my own hometown."

"Well, you're out now," Clay started.

"That I am."

"And back in business, I assume." Clay said.

Darby's left eye twitched involuntarily. "I don't know what you've heard, Clay, but I set up my new base of operation in Pope, far from Charming's borders."

"Oh, no doubt." Clay smiled. "A man as smart as yourself knows that nothing good comes from trying to sneak in the backdoor if you haven't been invited to the feast." He nodded his head towards Whistler, who made no effort to hide the sheer hatred bleeding through his eyes.

"Now that you bring it up," Darby started. "This sit-down has been three years in the making, Clay. I was actually expecting to see your stepson here today."

"Jax? And why would Jax be here today? Is there something you need to discuss with him?" Clay asked, all wide-eyed innocence.

Darby shook his head as he chuckled. "Your stepson got lucky, Clay. Whistler here was knocking on death's door. He nearly bled out and had he not pulled through, whether or not your lap dog Unser succeeded in bullying us into not pressing charges would have been irrelevant. He would have gone away for a long time for killing a man who was only guilty of being at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Clay sat back and draped his arm across the back of the booth. "Is that right?" He asked and Darby nodded.

"You know it is."

"Doesn't matter what I know. What does matter is what eyewitnesses have said and it's funny, but your version of events doesn't jibe with theirs." Clay advised.

"No surprise there." Darby said sarcastically.

Clay shook his head. "That's dirty water under the bridge, Ernie. Jax is not here to tell you so himself, but he feels truly awful for the unfortunate turn of events that put Whistler 'at the wrong place at the wrong time'. So awful, in fact, that he asked that we personally deliver a gift to Whistler." Turning his head slightly to the side, Clay nodded at Kyle, who produced a box made from Redwood burl. Placing it on the table, Kyle slid it towards Whistler. Unmoved, Whistler continued staring at Clay.

"Awww, Darby, your boy is refusing to play nice. I'm here to discuss a business proposition that will be mutually beneficial to both our crews, but this matter needs to be settled first. We must let bygones be bygones." Clay said enigmatically.

Darby quirked an eyebrow at Clay. "A business proposition, you say?" He asked and Clay nodded. Motioning towards the box on the table, Darby nudged Whistler to open it.

With a clenched jaw, Whistler flipped open the box. Nestled in a bed of black velvet was a Walther P99 semi-automatic pistol.

"It's a German piece. I thought a member of the Aryan Brotherhood would appreciate the fine quality of German engineering." Clay advised. Still stone-faced, Whistler's thumb grazed the black metal of the gun. "It's not loaded." Clay smirked.

"Had Jax run over my dog, this may have been a nice gesture. Business proposition or no, I hate to say it, Clay, but this is not gonna cut it. Whistler here wants bloody revenge. It took some prodding, but I managed to convince him that monetary recompense was a suitable compromise." Darby explained.

"I agree," Clay nodded. "But how would it look if men such as ourselves were to pass envelopes bloated with cash across a table in a family establishment such as this? I suggest that, when we part ways, Whistler take a look under the velvet cushion. I'm sure he will stumble upon 50,000 ways to find forgiveness in his heart."

Darby's eyes widened. "50,000? Business must be booming at T-M these days."

"We manage." Clay wrinkled his nose at Darby. "Are we settled?"

Turning his head slightly towards Whistler, Darby caught the small nod of his head. "We're squared."

"Fantastic." Clay beamed. "Now, Charming being a small town, I'm sure you've heard that SAMCRO is short one man."

Darby nodded. "I am sorry to hear about Otto. He's a good man, Clay. It's a shame that, with your recent wetback problems, he's sitting in County lock-up unprotected."

Taken slightly aback, Clay's eyes widened. "You're a smart man, Darby. It's good to see that in spite of years inhaling all those chemicals, your mind is still as sharp as ever."

"Just say it, Clay. You need us to protect your VP. I have to warn you, though. In spite of SAMCRO's prosperity, the price tag might fall out of your range." Darby challenged.

Clay laughed. "What do you know about prosperity?"

Darby narrowed his small, beady eyes at Clay. "Yeah, I've had a rough ride trying to get my business up off the ground, all thanks to SAMCRO. It seems that, at least in Charming, the one-percenters _do_ control 99% of the wealth."

"Nah, Darby. Your numbers are way off. We all know who owns the true wealth in Charming. The most dangerous gang of all. Rich, old white men in suits with names like Hale and Oswald." Clay replied.

"Yeah, and they would gladly wipe SAMCRO off the face of the earth if they could, which is why it's never made sense to me why our two crews could never find a way to work together."

"Well, you just never saw the logic behind the fact that drugs bring in all types of law enforcement issues to our little white bread enclave and straight up our asses." Clay said good-naturedly.

"And gun-running doesn't?" Darby accused.

"Gun-running?" Clay looked taken aback as he shook his head. "I'm just a mechanic and Harley enthusiast, Darby. I can say that within Charming's borders because I don't shit where I eat. Whatever business I may or may not be involved in always takes place outside Charming. That's a lesson you never understood."

"Well, some of us don't have the bankroll to set up operation in other parts of NorCal." Darby responded.

"I thought you said you're set up in Pope."

"I am, but it's costing me more than I'm bringing in. I don't have the finances or the connections necessary to own property outside Charming, so I'm renting space in an abandoned industrial park. In order to do so, I've had to take on a partner who is squeezing me for every last drop. I haven't cleared a profit in weeks." Darby explained.

"Your mother still own that house on the outskirts of Charming, out by the Interchange?" Clay asked.

Darby nodded. "My sister put her in a nursing home when I went to Chino. The house is boarded up. I've tried convincing dear old mom to sell, but she wants to have something to leave her only son when she finally does kick the bucket."

"I've seen that place. In this market, you'll never get what it's worth. It sits on what, three acres?" Clay asked.

"Five."

"Nice size, isolated, and already paid for. Seems like the perfect location for, what's the word I'm looking for?" Clay tapped his temple as if deep in thought.

"Lab." Kyle spoke up.

"Lab! That's it." Clay smiled.

Darby laughed. "Last time I set up a lab in Charming was almost the last time I set up a lab anywhere." He replied, recalling an incident seven years ago involving an explosion, courtesy of SAMCRO, that almost got him killed.

"Well, it seems that with my VP sitting unprotected in lock-up and your current business venture in the red, an opportunity for a mutual scratching of the backs has presented itself." Clay advised.

Darby's smile was as oily as his forehead. "Get to the point, Clay."

"SAMCRO is willing to let you set up shop within Charming city limits in return for the AB's protection of Big Otto until we see how his situation works itself out." Clay offered.

"Set up shop?" Darby questioned.

"To cook, not sell." Clay responded to Darby's unasked question.

"That seems like an unbalanced partnership tipping in your favor." Darby replied.

"With five acres you can set up a lab and distribution, all rent-free. You'll be turning a profit before the end of your first day at your new location. Plus, we're willing to run interference with our lap dog in order to make sure you operate hassle-free. Only trouble you'll run into is if you decide to test my No-Dealing-in-Charming policy. Don't get greedy, Darby. Wouldn't want to have to use that Walther to release some of the fumes by aerating that dome of yours." Clay threatened.

Darby stared at Clay with a half grin that had "fuck you" written all over it. Before he could reply, Whistler tapped him on the shoulder. Leaning towards his second-in-command, Whistler whispered something in his ear. Nodding, Darby looked up at Clay with a full-on smile.

"I'll make a phone call or two. I can have Otto Delaney covered within the next hour." Darby offered.

Clay beamed at Darby. "See, I knew we could work something out."

Tig's phone was vibrating in his pocket. Flipping it open, he went to stand by the exit to take the call as Clay and Darby finalized their deal with a handshake. Grabbing the Redwood box off the table, Darby led the way out of the restaurant as Whistler followed him out.

"That was easier than I thought." Clay said to Kyle, standing up from the table. Turning to Tig, the smile dropped off of Clay's face as Tig was staring straight ahead, his unseeing ice blue eyes wide open as he snapped his pre-pay shut.

"Holy fuck! What is it now?" Clay moaned as he and Kyle approached Tig at the door.

"That was Bobby." Tig started. "The Mayans made a move on Otto within 30 minutes of his arrival at Gen Pop this afternoon."

Stunned, Clay clasped his hand onto Kyle's shoulder for support. "Is he . . ." He started to ask, but couldn't bring himself to utter to word "dead".

Tig was shaking his head and the movement seemed to snap him out of his shock. Tig turned to Clay. "No, but it's bad. He was shanked and may end up losing an eye. He managed to take out one of the attackers, snapped his neck, and now they're charging him with second degree murder."

* * *

_**Ten weeks later.** _

Alone in the Chapel, Clay sat in his chair smoking a cigar. The Clubhouse was unusually quiet for a Wednesday afternoon. With several of his brothers out on a protection run to Eureka and not expected back until Thursday, the Club seemed quiet and peaceful. That was definitely a good thing, as Clay needed the time and space to reflect on recent Club events. Looking over at Big Otto's empty chair, Clay was still having a hard time processing the fact that his brother, his right-hand man, was serving a 15-year-to-life sentence for second degree murder. It just served to prove that in spite of all the prosperity the Club had seen in recent years, it could all turn to shit in a blink of an eye. Without Otto's inspired counsel, it was possible that the MC could get caught in a downward spiral of epic proportions.

Rosen had earned his $750-an hour fee by working hard to get Otto a deal for five years, with a minimum of three for good behavior for the incident at the dockyard. However, as Clay had feared, before the deal with the Nords had been finalized, Otto was attacked in Gen Pop. Proving as wily and resilient as ever, Otto had managed to survive the Mayans' attempted hit. In what could only be deemed as an act of self-defense by any reasonable human being, Otto had killed one of his three attackers, bare-handed, suffering partial vision loss in his left eye as a result.

Charged with murder, Rosen tried arguing during the trial that at the very least, Otto Delaney was only guilty of self-preservation and that the Prosecutor had over-played his hand by not agreeing to a manslaughter charge. Rosen had made a good case, but with Otto's record and affiliation to the MC, along with the circumstances that had resulted in Otto's arrest at the dockyard all caught on video surveillance, it proved to be too much to overcome. As a result, Clay lost the best VP an MC could ever have and a good friend.

With Tig for protection, Clay had taken the ride up to Stockton to see Otto that very morning. Forever the Zen Master of bikers, Clay found Otto to be in good spirits and at peace with the hand that fate had dealt him. He was in a good mood as he happily advised Clay that he would be having his first "Sunday Visit" or conjugal with Luann this coming weekend. His old lady was having a tougher time adjusting to life without him on the outside and he was hoping that their time together would cure her of her newly-acquired fatalistic outlook on life. Last thing he wanted was to cause the love of his life anymore pain. That was Otto in a nutshell. His concern for those he loved, his old lady and his Club, always outweighed concern for his own well-being. That's just one of the many reasons he had been an exceptional VP. Even better than Clay himself when he had worn the patch as JT's right-hand.

With a heavy heart, Clay advised Otto that he had come to seek his counsel as VP for the last time. He needed Otto's recommendations on who Clay should put forward during Church on Friday for the Club to vote in as the new VP.

Without hesitation, Otto said that there was only one name on his list that should be taken under serious consideration. Clay wasn't surprised as he had come to the same conclusion in recent weeks. His only concern, however, was how certain members would respond, not to mention some of the other charters, but Otto felt that for once, maybe Clay was over thinking the matter. He felt that this Son was more than capable of taking on the responsibility of being the VP of the mother charter, and that he had shown leadership capabilities and savvy for quite some time. Much like himself, this brother was a cool head under pressure and a Man of Mayhem that had earned that patch the only way how: with blood and bullets all in the name of brotherhood. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, as far as Otto was concerned, he was the only man for the job.

And Clay knew it too.

* * *

Jax and Jolene were lounging on the couch in front of the TV, enjoying a quiet evening at home after dinner. With her tongue dancing against his, wrecking havoc on all his senses, as his hand inched its way down into her pajama bottoms, Jax was about to close the deal on some dessert when the sound of a familiar bike pulling into their driveway pulled them apart.

"Shit! If cock-blocking was an Olympic event, guess who'd bring home the gold." Jolene smirked as she climbed off Jax and sat back on the couch, her knees folded up against her chest.

"Your dad's had a lot of practice, darlin'." Jax winked at her as he sauntered over to the front door. "I think he's made it his mission in life to keep my junk out of your pants." Smiling cheekily, he pulled open the door. Greeting Clay with the standard bro-hug, Jax invited him in.

"Hey, baby girl. I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Clay greeted, as he strolled into the living room, the smile on his face evidence to the contrary. Who was he kidding? If Jax and Jolene were awake and alone, there was always the possibility that he would be interrupting something. "I just need to talk to your old man for a minute."

"No, Dad, not at all." Jolene replied sarcastically while mean-mugging him.

Giving Jolene the eye to tone it down a bit, Jax asked, "Clay, can I get you a beer?"

"You have something a little stronger? None of that tequila shit, though." Clay replied as he followed Jax into the kitchen, with Jolene right behind them. "You might want to join me, too. I think you're gonna need it."

Cocking his head, Jax nodded. "Wanna talk outside?" Jax asked as he grabbed a bottle of Jameson from one of the cabinets over the counter. Without another word, Clay opened the sliding patio door and headed outside. Turning to Jolene, Jax was met by huge doe eyes asking him a plethora of questions. "Babe, grab me a couple of glasses, please."

"Is something wrong?" Jolene asked as she handed him two shot glasses.

"I'm about to find out." He kissed her on the forehead and strolled out the door, shutting it behind him, as Jolene watched with a furrowed brow.

On the patio, Clay had made himself comfortable on what had become his favorite lounge chair and lit up a cigar while Jax poured two shots. Passing one to Clay, Jax took a seat on one of the patio chairs facing him. "So what's up?"

Clay knocked back his drink and put the glass on the table. "I went up to see Otto today."

Jax sighed. "How's he doing?" He asked before gulping down his drink.

"Considering everything that's happened, he's doing pretty good." Clay replied.

"I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around how shit went down." Jax said angrily. "Part of me knows that Otto made the right call having me get McKeavey out of there, but part of me still feels guilty. He wouldn't be serving hard time had I stayed behind."

"You don't know that. You could be right up there with him serving hard time yourself." Clay advised. "Besides, you should feel guilty, but not because you did the wrong thing, Jax. You feel guilty for what happened because you got love for your brother and you don't want to see any harm come to him. You followed a direct order from your VP and that _was_ the right choice. Otto knew that. It was his call to make and that's what a good VP does—he makes the hard call for the good of his brothers and his Club. A good leader would never task one of his men to do something that he wouldn't do himself."

Jax nodded soberly. "It doesn't make it any easier to accept."

"No, it doesn't. And it won't. Ever." Clay said as he pointed his cigar at Jax. "Son, any officer of an MC knows that there are always going to be hard choices that will need to be made. Some men are born to lead, others to follow. Some are born officers, some are made. In your case, it's a little bit of both."

Jax's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"I've been watching you for a long time. So has Otto. When you first prospected, even though you were JT's boy, I wasn't totally convinced you were cut out for the Life. Then you were patched in and things went well for a while, but then you went off the rez for a little bit, let yourself get all twisted up by that Tara bullshit, got my daughter in all kinds of trouble, missed Church, the whole nine." Clay started grimly, and then he smiled. "But then you snapped out of it. Became more focused and more goal-oriented. With Otto as your mentor, your leadership skills started to grow and you became business savvy. Otto really took a leap of faith in you, pushed for giving you the harder and tougher assignments and you didn't disappoint every, single time. You're committed, Jax and you're level-headed and you see shit outside the box when others don't even realize that a box exists. You're not afraid to get bloody for the Club and, yeah, at 25, you're young, but you've already earned the respect of your brothers here in Charming and in other charters as well. I can't think of anyone else with the necessary skill set to be my new VP, which is why I want to put your name forward at Church on Friday."

Jax was glad that he is sitting down. Quite frankly, he had not seen this one coming. It was one thing for him to have a place at the table. He earned that privilege a long time ago and continued to work hard for the Club, but to be given the opportunity to be an officer was an honor on a whole different level. It didn't go unnoticed by Jax that it was Clay who was willing to trust him enough to make him his right-hand man. Aside from proving that Clay considered him an asset to the MC, it showed Jax that, in spite of how his relationship with Jolene had developed, Clay was man enough to see past all that and focus on what he felt was right for SAMCRO.

As proud as he was that Clay wanted him to be his next VP, Jax did have some reservations. In fact, Jax had planned on talking to Clay about joining the Nomad charter after the Otto situation had calmed down so that Jolene could go to school in San Diego. Up until this point she had been adamant about not accepting the scholarship, but he felt that if he pressed her hard enough, Jolene would eventually cave in. With the Mayan beef currently plaguing the Club, Jax needed to make sure that his old lady would be as unaffected by it as possible, even though he knew Bobby was right when he said that SAMCRO needed him now more than ever. Clay's desire to nominate him for VP only served to prove Bobby's point.

Clay could see all of Jax's thoughts and emotions play out on his face—shock, pride, determination, and even some doubt.

"Clay—," Jax started, but Clay interrupted.

"Let me guess—Jolene?"

"She's part of it." Jax replied, nodding. "There's also Kyle to consider."

Clay nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Kyle may be a problem, but it's not one that you would take on by yourself. I know Kyle has been bucking for Otto's job, probably from the minute we got the call that he was going inside. He's made some progress in getting his shit together over the last few years and he's been a patch for a hell of lot longer than you, but the simple fact remains that he's not officer material. JT knew it, I know it, and so does Otto. You can't force a square peg into a round hole and to be brutally honest, I don't trust he has the brainpower necessary to be the kind of VP that I need, one who will put the Club's interest above his own. I _know_ you will, and so do your brothers. In spite of Kyle, I have no doubt that it will be a landslide vote in your favor."

Sitting forward in his chair, Clay put his hand on Jax's shoulder. "Bottom line, son, your Club needs you and, if I know my wife and my daughter, neither of them would want you to put yourself at risk on the open road by going Nomad." As Jax's shocked eyes met his, Clay laughed long and hard. "What? Do you think I don't know what goes on in MY own Clubhouse? So what's it gonna be? Hey, if you can survive taking up with my half-crazy daughter, this should be a piece of cake." Clay joked, forcing a chuckle out of Jax. "Question is, are you ready for a new challenge?"

* * *

Jolene was sitting on the sofa, looking on as Gemma tried to console a clearly upset and grieving Luann. Jolene herself was at a loss for words. When Gemma had called, ordering her to haul ass over to her house pronto, she had been too busy trying to discreetly spy on her father and Jax from the kitchen window to just drop what she was doing. But when Mama Bear roared, you didn't stop to ask why.

To be honest, Jolene had a pretty good idea why Gemma had wanted her to come over. For the past few weeks, the outcome of Otto's trial had been all anyone could talk about around the Clubhouse. Jolene was torn about the entire situation. She loved Otto dearly and, over the last few years, had grown much closer to Luann. Only recently had Jolene come to appreciate Luann's wry sense of humor, her sparkle and style, the joy she had for life and the passion she had for her work. Even more important, Jolene came to really recognize how much Luann loved Otto and vice versa. Seeing such a great love torn apart had Jolene twisted up in knots. Her guilt plagued her because throughout Otto's initial arrest, the attack in prison, the loss of all but 20% of his vision in one eye, the murder trial, and finally the verdict, one thought kept reverberating in her head—thank God it wasn't her Jax or _she_ would have been the one sitting on Gemma's couch crying her eyes out in misery. _She_ could have been the one separated from her man for 15-plus years and it scared Jolene to death when she realized that she may not be able to deal with it if— _when_ —it happened.

Jolene's attention was called back to the two women as Luann loudly blew her nose. She wasn't her usual picture perfect vision of an aging-gracefully porn star. Right now, Luann looked like every one of her 45 years and then some.

Luann threw the wad of tissue on the coffee table. "I'm so sick and tired of this shit, tired of crying and tired of playing the 'what if' game."

"Well, it's about fuckin' time!" Gemma exclaimed.

"Gem!" Jolene reprimanded. "That's a little harsh, don't you think?"

"No, it's not, baby girl, and you better start paying attention. This is real. Sometimes the shit hits the fan and there's nothing you can do about it but wipe it off your face and move on. Believe me, I've been there. JT was in twice, once for eighteen months, the other five years. Your dad, too. It wasn't easy. You learn to live for your SAMCRO family and for visiting days and conjugals and when your old man finally gets out, all you can do is hope that he won't end up going back again. But you know that if he does, and you love him," Gemma pointed her unlit cigarette at Jolene. "You'll be willing to go through it all over again because you can't live without him."

"But this is 15-to-life." Jolene said, almost a little desperately.

"I know and that's a hell of a lot of time, but these are the risks our men take to live the Life and it is _never_ going to change." Gemma said wearily. She sat back on the couch and lit her cigarette. "What went down shouldn't have happened. Otto should have been out in two, three years tops, but it didn't work out that way. All Luann can do now is to hold onto to what they have and be there for her man, just like every other good old lady has done since the beginning."

"Ugh!" Luann moaned, her head in her hands. "I need a drink."

Gemma got up and headed to the kitchen. Before following Gemma out of the room, Jolene reached for Luann and gave her a hug. "Thanks, sweetie." Luann said, with a sad smile and raccoon eyes.

Jolene walked into the kitchen and found Gemma opening a bottle of wine. Jolene leaned up against the counter as she watched her. Fetching some goblets, Gemma grabbed the wine and started towards the living room, when Jolene stopped her.

"You didn't call me over here just to hold Luann's other hand, did you?" Jolene challenged.

Gemma looked at her and nodded. "I always said you were a smart one." She leaned against the counter.

"So what is this? Old Ladies 101: The Refresher Course?" Jolene retorted.

"No, this is Old Ladies 201: The University of Hard Knocks Edition. You graduated the first course with flying colors. Now it's time for you to learn this and I hope you learn it and learn it well. I'd hate for you to have to take a remedial course."

"This isn't funny." Jolene said angrily.

"No, it's not. It's the Life, baby and you need to see that what's out there," Gemma said, pointing to the living room. "Could have been you. You need to see it, smell it, feel it first hand and recognize it for what it is, and decide that if it's ever you in that situation, you'll be ready to handle your shit or you give your man his walking papers _before_ he needs you the most. I've never pegged you as the weakest link, sweetheart, but I see how this whole situation is eating you alive. It's not all unicorns and rainbows on Harleys all the time, Jolene, so don't go falling apart on me, _on Jax_ , now."

* * *

It was in the air, an anticipatory feeling of an imminent celebration after Church tonight. Kyle looked around the Clubhouse from his perch at the bar. It wasn't even sundown yet and already the regular hang-arounds, croweaters, and sweetbutts were starting to trickle in. Although he was still a Son, with Big Otto sitting in prison and unable to ride, he could no longer vote and, more importantly, he could no longer serve as a Club officer. An official announcement had not been made, but everyone knew that tonight during Church, a new Vice President would be voted in. It was simply time for SAMCRO to move on.

Even though it made him uneasy that Clay and Jax had been holed up in the Chapel for the past hour, Kyle knew beyond the shadow of a doubt how tonight would play out. There was no way for Clay to justify not making him VP. He was a long time member in good standing with the Club. It was about time that his loyalty and service to the brotherhood be acknowledged because with the VP patch came great rewards—money, respect, and of course, a whole new level of pussy—and in Kyle's mind, it had been a long time in the making. As a matter of fact, his rewards should be retroactive considering the many years he had been unjustifiably fucked over by his own Club.

Suddenly, the Chapel door opened and Clay signaled to Tig to gather the troops. Standing by the Chapel doors, Tig cut loose with a high-pitched whistle, loud enough to be heard over the classic rock playing in the background.

"Haul ass, boys! It's time for Church!" He bellowed. Holding a cigar box, Tig collected pre-pays as everyone filed into the Chapel, with Piney bringing up the rear.

Kyle listened, his leg nervously bouncing underneath the table on the ball of his foot, causing Opie to give him a strange look, as current Club business was discussed. Bobby was breaking down the Club's financial status. Trying to keep Big Otto out of jail had put a hurting on the Club's coffers. With the Club under intense scrutiny during the investigation and trial, the MC had remained under the radar and had not been earning as they had in the past. Now with the dust settled, it was time to get working on building the Club's finances again. That discussion, naturally, segued into a long, drawn out brainstorming session regarding the Mayan situation. Just when Kyle was convinced that he had been wrong to expect a vote on a new VP tonight, Clay banged his gavel to get his brothers' attention.

"There's a final piece of business that has to be decided today." Clay began. "For those of you who don't know, I went to see Otto earlier this week. He sends his regards to everyone here, by the way."

"How's he making out?" Piney asked, adjusting the tube leading from his portable oxygen tank as it slip out of his nose.

"Well, while his accommodations have left much to be desired, starting this weekend, I'm sure having his old lady come up and bang him on the regular will make all the difference in the world." Clay replied cheekily.

"Let's hear it for the Big O!" Chibs yelled as laughter and rowdy catcalls spread around the table.

Once everyone settled down, Clay continued. "It's always rough on a club to lose a brother, no matter the circumstance and losing Otto is a big blow to SAMCRO. It won't be the same going forward, it never really is when there is a changing of the guard, so to speak. But there is no growth without change and with every new officer that replaces an old one comes great opportunities for change for the better. " Clay started. "Even though he's now serving 15-plus in Stockton, Big Otto will forever be a Son and a big part of this Club. His love and dedication to his brothers and his Club continues in spite of where he sits today. I valued Otto's counsel as my VP and as my brother and friend, I still hold his opinion in high regard. It was for that reason that I went to see him, to get his thoughts on how we should move forward in terms of selecting a new VP."

This is it, Kyle smiled to himself as he straightened up in his seat. Kyle was pretty sure that Otto has had plenty of time to contemplate his betrayal of their friendship. Big Otto was nothing if not fair-minded in his dealings with regards to the Club and Kyle was sure that regret had prompted Otto to put his name forward as a way to make amends.

"There are a lot of good and true men around this table. Each one of you have served your Club well, but Otto believes, and so do I, that one of you is prepared above all others to lead SAMCRO and set the path for all other charters to follow. Your dedication and commitment to your Club, to your brothers, as well as your business savvy have been a guiding force in recent years and has helped increase the MC's earning capability across the board with every charter now operating in the black. Today, I am proud to ask my fellow brothers to second the nomination of Jackson Teller as SAMCRO's new VP." Clay declared.

The room suddenly erupted with hoots and shouts as Jax's brothers applauded their approval, while Kyle sat as if he was carved out of stone. The bottom had just dropped out of his world and he was completely helpless to do anything about it, if the celebration already started at the table was any indication. They hadn't even voted on it yet.

Before Kyle could swallow his sudden cotton mouth in order to speak, Bobby slapped Jax on the back of his cut as he jumped up. "Brother, I most happily second the nomination!"

Smiling, Clay nodded his approval. "All in favor say 'Aye'!" The ayes pour out from every corner of the room. "Any objections?" He asked, as a formality as majority ruled in the election of a new officer. With that, Kyle abruptly pushed away from the table, his chair crashing onto the floor behind him, and stormed out of the Chapel.

"I think that counts as an objection." Tig smirked.

"And the majority has spoken!" Bobby bellowed, happily clapping his hands.

"Here! Here!" Jax watched with a slight smile on his face as his brothers cheered him on.

"The ayes have it." Clay reached into his cut and pulled a small leather strip that said "Vice President." Getting up, he walked over to Jax and motioned for him to get on his feet. Taking Jax's hand, Clay placed the patch in his palm. "This is Otto's patch from his cut. He wanted you to have it."

As Jax took the patch, Clay pulled him into a bro-hug, slapping him several times on the back. "Congratulations, son." He whispered as he stepped back. Looking on in approval as each of Jax's brothers pounced on him, Clay banged his gavel. "Meeting adjourned. Time to party!"

* * *

Jolene and Gemma were sitting on one of the couches set up against the wall in front of the pool table, directly across from the Chapel doors. The Chapel had been quiet for almost two hours when it suddenly exploded with raucous yelling and laughter, loud enough to be heard over the raucous yelling and laughter in the main room.

Jolene turned towards Gemma. "Those are happy noises, right?"

"With our men, it's not always that easy to tell, sweetheart." Gemma replied as she grabbed Jolene's hand and squeezed.

Suddenly, both Chapel doors flew open and out stormed Kyle. Angrily pushing past several Club members and croweaters doing shots at the bar, he headed towards the exit making a big show of slamming the door behind him.

Catching a quick glimpse into the Chapel, Gemma nudged Jolene, who was mesmerized by Kyle's tantrum.

"The ayes have it!" Clay was saying as he walked over to Jax, holding a strip of leather in his hand. Before they could see Clay hand it over to Jax, Tig stood up from his seat and closed the door.

"Holy shit, Gem!" Jolene cried out as they jumped up from the couch and threw their arms around each other.

Even before the official announcement was made, murmurs quickly made their way around the Clubhouse and to the revelers partying outside that SAMCRO had a new VP.

Clay was the first to step out of the Chapel, with Jax moving to his side as the Chapel emptied out into the main room. Making quick eye contact with his old lady, Jax threw Jolene a wink as she blew him a kiss.

"Brothers, significant others, and friends, can I have your attention please?" Clay addressed the crowd that quickly gathered around them as someone turned off the music. With his arm around his back, Clay clasped Jax on his shoulder. "It is with great pride that I introduce you to SAMCRO's third and youngest VP, Jax Teller!" He bellowed as the Clubhouse erupted in thunderous applause and celebratory shouting.

The main room of the Clubhouse was pretty fair in size, but at the moment it seemed the size of a football field to Jax as he tried to make his way through the crowd. He was shaking hands and getting slapped on the back, with someone even going as far as ruffling his hair, as he tried to cross the room towards his mother and old lady. Someone stopped him, he had no clue who, shoved a shot of Jack into his hand, and toasted him. Downing the drink, Jax handed the glass back and continued trying to get through the sea of bodies. Finally, Gemma grabbed him and pulled him out of the crowd, giving him a quick peck and a tight squeeze before handing him over to the tight little ball of nervous energy bouncing next to her. Jolene wrapped her arms around his neck as Jax picked her up off the ground, slamming his mouth onto hers.

"Happy for me?" Jax asked loud enough for Jolene to hear as he smiled, his hands tangling themselves in her raven curls.

"You know it." Jolene beamed up at him.

"I'm sorry about San Diego, darlin'."

"I'm not." Jolene assured him as she ran her hand over his furrowed brow. "Stop thinking about it, Jax."

"I'd give you the world, if I could. You know that, right?" Jax asked, his jaw tight.

"Of course I do." Jolene replied. "You already have."

When was he going to realize that he was her world? She had snapped out of the fog she'd been in since Big Otto's arrest. Gemma's words had sunk in and taken hold. She was determined to hold strong for her old man, remain the constant, especially now more than ever. Jolene knew that the outcome of tonight's vote would have a life-altering impact on their life together. She was prepared to be the strong woman behind the great man her Jax was destined to be and would do whatever was necessary to protect him. She was still scared, but something would seriously be wrong with her if she wasn't. Jolene hadn't signed up for easy. She had signed up to be Jax Teller's old lady.

And nothing was worth keeping if you weren't afraid of losing it.


	17. Inauguration

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

They were just about to part ways, Jolene heading to the Clubhouse and Jax to the garage, when Jax grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards him. With her arms wrapped around his middle, Jax had his hands buried deep in her hair, holding Jolene's head steady as he kissed her with the same urgency he had this morning as she made breakfast, before picking her up and carrying her back to their bedroom.

Pulling away slightly, Jax smiled as he noticed she was a little breathless. "Having trouble keeping up?" He teased.

"A little," Jolene laughed. "You animal."

His thumb gently grazing the freckles sprinkled across the bridge of her nose, Jax searched her face with an intensity that darkened his usually crystal clear blue eyes. "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Every chance you got while banging the hell out of me this morning." Jolene teased with a wink. Jax dipped his head and nipped at her lips.

"Don't you know it doesn't count if I'm about to bust a nut?" Jax joked.

"So I've heard." Jolene replied as she rolled her eyes. "Doesn't matter, though, cuz I love you more anyway."

"Not possible." Jax said and, before she could respond, enveloped her mouth in another kiss that forced her to forget how to breathe again. Finally letting her go, Jax gave her black denim-clad ass a resounding smack as she was about to pull away. "Meet me at the Clubhouse around lunch." He said, leaving no room for argument.

Rubbing her throbbing butt-cheek, Jolene narrowed her eyes at him. "A nooner? What, are we going for the record today?" She asked and Jax waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Maybe." He grinned.

Jolene backed away and blew him a kiss. "You know where to find me, baby." She turned and strutted towards the Clubhouse in search of Bobby to finalize plans for Jax's party tomorrow. Jax was running his hand over the hair on his chin, his eyes fixated on the perfect roundness of her ass as Gemma approached and slapped her hand on his shoulder.

"Isn't the honeymoon period over for you two _yet_?" She teased as Jax barely managed to tear his eyes away from his old lady before she disappeared into the Clubhouse.

Smiling slightly at her choice of words, Jax asked, "Can we talk?"

Automatically falling into protective mother bear-mode, Gemma crossed her arms over her chest. "Sure, baby. Something wrong?"

Jax shook his head and smiled. "Nah. Let's go into the office though."

"Okay," Gemma reached out, her fingers grazing the VP patch on his cut. Turning towards T-M's office, they started walking side-by-side. Offering his mother a cigarette, which she declined, Jax lit one for himself as they entered the deserted office. "Jackson, I know I've said this before, but it's something I never get tired of saying to you. I love you so much, baby and I am so proud of you and everything you've accomplished." She said as they stood facing each other.

"Thanks, Mom." Jax smiled, as Gemma reached for him and planted a kiss on his cheek and tucked his hair behind his ears. "And for the record, I never get tired of hearing it."

Gemma smiled. "John would be proud of you, too. Twenty-five and already the Vice President of the mother charter." She marveled with her chest puffed up with pride. "You have some mighty big shoes to fill, following Big Otto, but I have no doubt that you are destined for great things, Jax."

"You're just saying that cuz you're my mother." Jax teased.

"Probably," Gemma shrugged her shoulders. "Doesn't mean it's not true." She reasoned.

Jax crossed the room and sat on the edge of the desk. Sensing that something was weighing heavy on Jax, Gemma moved towards the desk and sat in her chair.

"What's on your mind, sweetheart?" Gemma asked concerned by the faraway look in his eyes.

"I'm starting to believe I _am_ completely whipped because whenever anyone asks me that question," Jax chuckled. "There's ever only one answer."

"Jolene?" Gemma smiled.

"Yeah." Jax replied. "These past couples of months have been pretty hard on her and I can go only so far in setting her mind at ease because it's me she's worried about."

"Is there full disclosure between you two?" Gemma asked, although she already knew the answer.

"Did ya think there's any other way with Jolene?" Jax smiled.

"Since the beginning?" Gemma asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Jax nodded. "That's the only way I'd ever get any, so yeah." Smiling, Gemma was shaking her head. That's my girl, she thought. "You taught her well, Ma." Jax continued.

"Believe me, as much as I would love to take the credit, Jolene's always been ready to be your old lady. I wouldn't worry too much about her, Jax. She's strong. If she weren't," Gemma said, thinking of the many others before her. "She would have crumbled long before now."

Jax gave his mother a strange look. With the exception of the Club's recent Mayan problem, the past three years have been peaceful and prosperous. Why would she have crumbled before now?

Seeing the question in her son's eyes, Gemma smiled. "Shit always weighs heavy on an old lady's mind, Jax. The business you're in makes every day you're together a gift. There's always something to worry about—the road, the time apart, rival MCs, cops, other women, but as Clay would say, she's got her shit contained. She's the one for you, Jax and this whole San Diego thing had me worried for the both of you. Don't let her get away."

Jax took a drag of his cigarette as he flashed his mother with a coy smile.

Gemma narrowed her eyes at her son that she knew so well. "What's that look, Jax? Something you want to share?"

With his cigarette dangling from his lips, Jax reached into the inside pocket of his cut and pulled out a small black box. Gemma swallowed hard as she looked from the box to Jax and back to the box again.

"I'm gonna ask her to marry me." Jax declared, handing the box to Gemma, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head when she opened it and saw the ring.

"Holy shit, Jax!" Was all Gemma could bring herself to say as she threw on her glasses to get a better look at the five carat cushion cut green diamond in a platinum and white diamond marquise setting. "This is gorgeous!"

"Just like my girl."

"You think she's ready? I thought the plan was to finish school." Gemma said, examining the beautiful green stone before handing the ring back to Jax.

"I know," Jax said flipping the box closed and dropping it back into his pocket. "The plan was after grad school, but now that she's not taking that scholarship, with her working full time, grad school's gonna take years. I can't wait that long."

"What's the rush, Jax?"

"There's no rush. It's not like we have to go out and get married the day after I give her the ring." Jax explained. "I just want her to know that I love her and I'm serious when I tell her I want to spend the rest of my life making her happy."

Gemma was so happy for her son she was speechless and making Jax uncomfortable under her gooey-eyed scrutiny. "You can stop looking at me like that now." Jax insisted.

Gemma was beaming. "My son, a croweater's dream come true, wants to settle down. Wow!"

"I've got news for you, Mom. I settled down three years ago. Now I just want to make it official." Jax started. Mesmerized by the glowing ash on the tip of his cigarette, Jax avoided looking his mother in the eye. "I've never cheated on her, you know. Not even on those long, _long_ runs Clay is always so happy to volunteer me for." He declared, finally looking up into this mother's eyes. "I can't say that about any other woman I've ever been serious about, not even Tara, and it scares the shit out of me."

"What you're feeling is uncertainty, sweetheart. This shit, this level of commitment, it's all new for you." Gemma explained.

"That's just it. I'm not uncertain. I've never been this sure about anything in my life. She's the only woman for me. It's just that—" Jax stopped abruptly and Gemma could see him trying to work through the jumble of thoughts fighting for space in his head. "If you didn't know Jolene, what would your first impression of her be?" He finally asked.

Gemma shrugged her shoulders, unsure where he was going with this. "The obvious, I guess. I'd be no different from any croweater around here that hates her guts just because she's so goddamn gorgeous. We women can be catty bitches, you know." She teased.

"I never would have guessed." Jax kidded. "I'm serious, though."

"I am being serious. What's your point, sweetheart?"

Jax sighed. "She doesn't scream biker chick, you know what I mean?"

"And whose fault is that? From how I hear it told the placement of her crow tat was your idea."

"Yeah, and it's sexy as hell." Jax couldn't help but salivate whenever he thought of his crow—and his name—in her pants. "In hindsight, I should've had that shit tattooed on her forehead."

"Get to the point, Jax. Something's clearly bothering you. What is it?"

Jax hesitated, considered ending the conversation before he came out as a pussy to his own mother, but unable to throw on the brakes, the words just tumbled out of his mouth. "I'm afraid of losing her, Mom. The smarter and more sophisticated she gets the more I think she's gonna outgrow me, outgrow this lifestyle." He started. "And what's worse, I _know_ she deserves better than me."

Gemma was shaking her head, the disbelief clear. "There _is_ no better than you, Jax and I'm not just saying that cuz I'm supposed to either. She fought her father and beat down a couple of assholes that got in her way for you. You are the love of her life, sweetheart. Jolene Morrow will never outgrow Jax Teller."

Jax gave her a half smile, but shook his head. "She's only ever been with one man." He argued. "How can she know that for sure?"

"If half the stories I've heard about you are true, Jolene's one lucky bitch. It's quality, not quantity that counts, sweetheart. I think you've managed to spoil her for every other man on the planet." Gemma nudged her son on the knee. "Besides, who says only whores can know when they've found their soul mate?" She asked sarcastically.

"Hey, I know I found mine." Jax kidded.

Gemma laughed. "Good point." Reaching for his free hand, Gemma squeezed it reassuringly. "Jackson, you're over-thinking this. Honestly, what do you think her reaction will be when you ask her to marry you?" With a raised eyebrow, Jax replied with a leering half-grin. "I wasn't asking how you would celebrate, jackass."

Jax laughed. "I get it, Mom and you're right. I am over-thinking this. I've had this ring burning a hole in my pocket for weeks now. I'm just gonna do it." He said, snuffing his cigarette out in the ashtray on her desk before getting on his feet.

"Wait a minute." Gemma jumped up. "That beautiful ring is obviously custom-made, so it's safe to assume that you've given this a lot of thought, right?" She asked.

"Isn't that what we've been talking about?" Jax countered.

"That's not what I mean, dipshit. Where did you plan on popping the question? And please tell me you had something better planned than at the Clubhouse or at home while she's picking your dirty boxers up off the floor."

Jax frowned, his plans for a surprising end to their anticipated afternoon-delight dashed. "You put it like that, I guess I haven't really planned it out beyond the ring." He replied.

"Which is breathtaking and deserves a special getaway as an occasion to spring it on her." Gemma suggested.

"I like that." Jax smiled. "Thanks, Mom. For everything." He kissed her cheek before leaving the office. He needed to talk to Clay.

* * *

Jax sauntered into the Clubhouse and found Bobby and Jolene sitting at the bar, a pot of coffee and two mugs between them, as they sat facing the Chapel doors. Approaching his oblivious-to-his-presence old lady, Jax skimmed his hand along the back of her fitted red plaid shirt. Jolene nearly jumped out of her skin, startling Bobby as they both turned to face him.

"Hey," Jolene smiled, her right hand over her heart. "Lunch time already?"

"Don't I wish." Jax winked at her. "I need to talk to Clay. He here?"

Bobby and Jolene exchanged an uneasy look. "He's in there," Jolene jabbed her thumb, sporting a silver ring, towards the Chapel.

"With Kyle." Bobby added ominously. Jax gave them a strange look, his brow wrinkled. He was about to speak when the screaming in the Chapel started again.

"What the hell's going on in there?" Jax asked as he stepped towards the commotion, but Bobby stopped him.

"Shit's heated enough, brother without you getting involved." Bobby advised. "Seems Kyle is making his grievances regarding the Club's recent election known."

With the accusations and insults Kyle had been flinging at Clay for the last half-hour, Jolene was sure that her father's hands were acting up again or he would've probably killed Kyle with his bare fists by now. "Brother or not, and I don't mean any disrespect to the patch, but that Kyle's a douche bag." Jolene said bitterly.

"He's just a sore loser, Kit." Bobby said. "Feeling sorry for himself and complaining about being treated like a has-been."

"Has-been's too generous. He's a never-was." Jax smirked as he shook his head. "I'm going in." He announced as he headed to the Chapel.

"You really think that's a good idea?" Bobby called out after him.

"What kind of a VP would I be if I didn't have my President's back?" Jax said, doorknob in hand. Tapping lightly on the door, he let himself in without waiting to be told to do so. Kyle, who was foaming at the mouth while Clay sat leisurely in his chair smoking a cigar, stopped ranting as Jax closed the door behind him.

"This is fuckin' unbelievable!" Kyle threw his hands up. "I can't have a fuckin' word in private with my MC's Pres without you sticking your face in the door?"

Jax shook his head as he casually gripped the back of Tig's chair. "From out there, it sounded like you were having more than just a word. Sounded like you were having a tantrum over a wet diaper." He explained as Kyle glared at him. "I can leave if you want me to." Jax directed at Clay.

"Nah, have a seat, VP." Clay said deliberately. "Kyle's almost done here and you and I have real business to discuss."

"This is bullshit! What I should do is issue an officer challenge at Church on Friday." Kyle threatened as he looked straight at Jax, who did very little to keep the smile from breaking out on his face.

"On what grounds?" Clay asked, doing a slightly better job of keeping his smug smile under control.

"Nepotism. Favoritism. Whatever the fuck you wanna call it." Kyle ground out.

"You realize that by issuing that kind of challenge, all you're calling into question is my ability to lead this Club." Clay started. "My nomination not only came highly endorsed by SAMCRO's former VP, but was seconded by the Club's Treasurer and, if I recall correctly, with the exception of one, it was a landslide victory."

Realizing that he was about to quote his old lady, Jax smiled to himself. "All you're going to accomplish is making yourself look like a douche bag."

Ignoring Jax, Kyle directed himself at Clay. "This has nothing to do your ability to lead the Club, Clay unless of course you actually did push for the election of your own stepson _and_ your daughter's old man as VP just to keep it all in the family."

"What are we? Some pack of backwoods inbred hillbillies?" Clay asked, incredulously. "You wanna know the truth, and for the record, go ahead and bring the officer challenge to the table on Friday because I will gladly repeat what I'm about to tell you in front of the Club." He stood up from his chair and approached Kyle. "The fact of the matter is, in spite of your hard work these past couple of years, nothing will go back and change history for you. Seventeen years of a lackluster presence in this MC and you expect to be rewarded simply because you put in the time? Jax has done more for this Club since he was patched six years ago than I daresay you'll accomplish in a lifetime. There are men on that wall out there who put their all on the line for this Club and paid the price with either their life or the loss of their freedom or both and some of them never even got the chance to sit at the table. So stop your bitchy little whining and step up your game because there's always new blood on the horizon. If I were you, I'd be more concerned with holding onto my spot at the table because no one's ever risen from the ranks to officer without sitting in one of those chairs first and a place at the table is not a lifetime guarantee. Like everything else in SAMCRO, you have to earn it every day."

As much of an asshole as Kyle was, Jax couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed for the dressing down he'd just received from Clay. Sometimes the truth hurt like a mother fucker and maybe this was the wake up call Kyle needed to get his shit together. Whatever the case, now more than ever, Jax knew he needed to heed Big Otto's advice and watch his back when it came to Kyle.

With a look on his face that could be labeled as anything but contrite, Kyle cleared a wide berth past Clay as he headed for the Chapel doors. Before he could make a dramatic exit by slamming the door, Jax called out to him.

"One more thing." Jax said as he turned to face Kyle, his jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. "If I ever hear any reference to my old lady fall from your lips again, in any context, you're gonna long for the beating you took at Indian Hills before I'm done with you."

* * *

Leaving the Chapel after his discussion with Clay, Jax decided that, even though it was nowhere near noon, it was as close to lunchtime as he was willing to wait. Taking advantage of the nearly deserted Clubhouse, Jax approached Jolene, who was sitting alone at the bar and wordlessly grabbed the book she was reading out of her hand and pulled her onto her feet. Soon, she would be working full-time and going to school again and these stolen moments together were going to be few and far in between.

"I believe we have a date, darlin'." Jax smiled as he led her to his old dorm room at the back of the Clubhouse.

"I'm sure it's lunchtime somewhere in the world." Jolene laughed, already unbuttoning her shirt as she entered the room.

Wasting no time, Jax finished undressing her and, unzipping his pants, sat on the edge of the bed as pulled her onto his lap.

"Oh, Jax." Jolene breathed as he grasped her hips and guided her onto his cock. "You need to take this off." She pushed his cut off and let it drop onto the bed before pulling his shirt up over his head. Quickies were nice, but she needed to feel his heat searing her flesh as they held each other skin-to-skin as she bounced up and down, making him groan in an amazingly sexy way.

"Come here, baby." Jax coaxed her mouth down to his. "Tell me you love me." He managed to say as his teeth grazed her bottom lip.

Jolene smiled coyly, keeping her steady pace. "You know I do."

"I wanna hear you say it," Jax almost whispered. "Before you cum." He teased.

Fisting her hands in his hair and burying her face in his neck, Jolene bit down on his shoulder as she groaned before throwing her head back. "Too late." She was breathing heavy as she pulled Jax's mouth to hers. Grinding her hips as she fought to keep Jax from grabbing her ass and throwing her on the bed, Jolene forced Jax to cum with such force that it knocked him back onto the mattress.

"Fuck!" He moaned as Jolene leaned forward and showered his chest with kisses before snuggling into the crook of his neck. "Shit!" He cursed again, unable to string a coherent thought together as the blood slowly made its way back to his brain. Grabbing a fistful of her hair as his other hand cupped her face, Jax kissed her long and slow, enjoying the happy little noises he was forcing her to make.

"Don't you have something to tell me?" He asked, as he pulled away slightly.

Jolene bit her kiss-swollen lip, the mischievous look in her eyes making her pale green orbs sparkle. "Aw, shit, yeah, thanks for reminding me. I'm going shopping with Gem this afternoon, so I should really get going."

"Ha, ha." Jax smirked, causing Jolene to squeal as he rolled her over and pinned her to the mattress in one fluid motion. "You're not going anywhere until you say what I need to hear."

Jolene considered holding out just to tease him a little longer, but even though he seemed to be in playful mood, the intensity in his eyes was tugging at her heart.

"I love you, Jax." She ran her hands through his tousled hair.

"Again." He demanded, his beautiful smile finally reaching his eyes.

"I love you!" Jolene laughed. "Can you let me go now? I wasn't kidding about Gemma."

Jax kissed her hard one last time before rolling off her and onto his back, his hands tucked behind his head and his eyes closed. "The only thing you should be planning for is our getaway to Tahoe this weekend." He faked a yawn as he peeked at her through a half-open eye.

"What?" Jolene was smiling from ear-to-ear as she flipped over and onto her knees next to Jax. "We're going to Tahoe this weekend?"

"We leave after Church on Friday, darlin'." Jax said as he propped himself up on his elbow, his free hand instantly latching onto one of her breasts. "Just you and me for four days, so I suggest packing light 'cuz the plan is to see as little of the scenery as possible."

Jolene looked at Jax suspiciously, afraid to get her hopes up too high. "I've been promised a long weekend away before only to be bumped by a run. You have reps from all the charters coming down to celebrate _your_ election. How are you gonna manage to get away?"

"Trust me, Jo. My brothers don't need me around to have a good time." Jax assured her. "I'll be here for the party tomorrow and Church on Friday. I've already cleared it with Clay and with every charter here through the weekend, SAMCRO will not be short-handed. We're good."

"Promise?" Jolene clasped her hands together under her chin as she batted impossibly long eyelashes at him.

Jax smiled. "Promise." He managed to say before Jolene pounced on him. "If Gemma's waiting on you, rubbing your tits in my face is not the way to go about getting out of here, darlin'."

"Four uninterrupted days away from everything and _everyone_!" Jolene was giddy as she straddled his hips. "Oh my God! I'm going to have to show you my appreciation by doing very, _very_ naughty things to you, Jackson Teller!" She threatened with her eyebrow cocked wickedly.

Jax's eyes widened. "Shit! I'm a dick for not taking you away sooner." He smiled as Jolene grabbed his face and kissed him before jumping off the bed and running into the bathroom.

* * *

Distracted by the news of her mini-vacation with Jax, Jolene hadn't bothered to look at the grocery list Bobby had shoved into her hand before leaving the Clubhouse. Jolene was shaking her head as she went over the list as she and Gemma entered Murphy's Stop-N-Shop, followed by one of the prospects pushing a shopping cart. Realizing that they were expecting a full house with the Number One, Number Two, and their SAAs from each charter scheduled to arrive between now and tomorrow night, Jolene noted that Bobby's list was severely lacking. It consisted mainly of ingredients for his prize-winning chili and jalapeno cornbread.

"Can I see your list?" Jolene asked Gemma, who was strutting down the paper products aisle in 4-inch designer heels.

Gemma stopped and turned to Jolene with her hand on her hip and her black leather handbag dangling from her shoulder. "My list is all up here, baby." She tapped her temple with her ringed-index finger. "All you need to know is to stock up on plenty of meat for the grill, toilet paper, and beer."

"Okay." Jolene replied unconvinced, while jotting Gemma's list of essentials on her paper. "Seems a little simple, doesn't it? I mean aren't we hosting a small army at least through the weekend?"

"Oh yeah," Gemma nodded. "And condoms. Write that down, too."

Jolene quirked an eyebrow at Gemma. "Really?"

Gemma nodded as she started tossing bulk-size packages of toilet paper into the shopping cart. "Safety first, sweetheart. You think you've seen things get out of control at Clubhouse parties before? You've never witnessed the debauchery of an officer initiation, which are only second to patch-over parties."

From what Jolene had heard about patch-over parties, these were not old lady-friendly events. "You mean to tell me I'm planning a party I won't be able to attend?" Jolene asked, a little disappointed.

"Go get another cart." Gemma ordered the Prospect, who took off down the aisle to do her bidding. "Of course you get to attend. You're the VP's old lady. Jax is going to want you by his side. I have to warn you, though. Luann's providing the entertainment, so it's bound to get out of hand."

"Bikers, porn stars, and booze. How can it possibly get out of hand?" Jolene rolled her eyes as she pushed the cart into the meat section.

Having returned with another cart, Gemma watched the Prospect hover by Jolene as she closely inspected every package, carefully selecting steaks to pass to him as he proceeded to fill up the cart. Gemma noticed that Jolene wasn't wearing the ring Jax had shown her earlier this morning, but that didn't necessarily mean he hadn't proposed. Jolene was definitely walking on sunshine for one reason or another. Tempted to start asking questions, Gemma knew Jax would throttle her if she dug too deep and inadvertently dropped the dime on his intention to ask Jolene to marry him. Something had the young woman smiling to herself like a mental patient. It could very well be post-coital bliss, Gemma thought with a smirk. She had caught them clinging to each other by JT's bike the way couples in love had a tendency to do after awesome sex. Gemma literally had to pull them apart.

After nearly clearing Murphy's out of red meat and beer, Jolene helped the Prospect guide three shopping carts out into the parking lot as Gemma opened the back of her black Escalade. Jolene was packing the groceries into the car as Gemma conveniently moved off to the side to check her phone for messages.

"I've got it, Jolene." The Prospect smiled at her and Jolene felt bad that he was being so sweet and she didn't even know his name. Lately it seemed that since Juice had been patched, there was a revolving door policy when it came to prospects, with most not making the cut or quitting before their probationary period was up, usually as a direct result of the hazing they received courtesy of her old man and Tig. Jax called it vetting. Jolene called it torture.

Jolene went to stand by Gemma, who was scrolling through her missed calls. Throwing on her sunglasses, Jolene nudged Gemma's arm to get her attention.

"Is that Ernest Darby?" She asked as Gemma looked up and saw the leader of the Nords and his menacing-looking sidekick approach them from across the lot.

"Yeah, it is. Wonder what he's doing in Charming." Gemma said under her breath just as Darby came within spitting distance.

"Well, if it isn't the beautiful Queen of Bikers, Gemma Teller-Morrow." Darby greeted, openly appraising Gemma before turning his attention to Jolene.

"It's good seeing you, Ernie." Gemma started. "Last I heard, you were living in Pope. That's quite a trek to shop for groceries in Charming."

"My last known address for the past three years was actually Chino. I have since re-settled in my hometown, at my mother's old place." Darby explained.

Gemma quirked an eyebrow at him. "You're living here? In Charming?"

Darby flashed her a toothy grin. "I am, and it's good to be home."

Gemma narrowed her eyes as she noticed the intensity with which both Darby and his companion were scrutinizing Jolene. "You've met Jolene, _Clay's_ daughter." She started, gauging Darby's reaction. As expected, Darby looked surprised.

"I have met Clay's daughter and this beauty cannot possibly be her." Darby's slick, oily smile managed to unnerve both women.

"Jesus, Ernie, she was a tomboy back when you knew her," Gemma started. "Not a troll."

"No, she's definitely not a troll." Darby said, practically licking his chops at Jolene.

"She's also my son's old lady." Gemma informed him just in case he was getting any ideas.

"Jax's old lady." Darby said with a raised eyebrow and Gemma noticed the slight change in his companion's demeanor, from open admiration to barely under control hostility as he stared at Jolene. From behind her sunglasses, Jolene stared back. She knew who this hulking beast was. Whistler, Darby's second-in-command and the man Jax had almost killed at the Hairy Dog the day Lowell OD'd.

"Jax is a lucky man," Darby continued. "And from what I hear, good fortune continues to rain down on your boy. Congratulations are in order. I understand he is SAMCRO's new VP."

"Yes he is." Gemma smiled with faux-congeniality. "As a matter of fact, we're in the middle of planning festivities to celebrate, so we have to get going." She said as the Prospect finished loading up the Escalade.

"Well, don't let us keep you," Darby smiled as he grabbed Gemma's hand and kissed it. "It is always a pleasure, ladies. Those biker boys of yours are indeed very fortunate men." He said, making a grab for Jolene's hand, which she was too slow to avoid and had to fight the urge to flinch as he brought it to his dry, cracked lips.

Instead of walking away, Darby and Whistler stood by the car and watched as Gemma climbed behind the wheel and Jolene jumped in next to her. With the Prospect following closely behind on his bike, the Escalade pulled out of the lot and headed back to T-M.

Turning to his companion, Darby smiled at the look on Whistler's face. "I see your wheels spinning and, although I like the direction they're going in, you would be a fuckin' idiot to lay a finger on his old lady." He warned as Whistler turned his rage-filled eyes onto Darby.

"I will rip that bitch apart and then I'll fuck what's left." Whistler threatened. "Who's gonna stop me?"

I guess Whistler is capable of such brutality, even with just one nut. He's definitely entitled to it, Darby nodded as he thought to himself. Whistler was as loyal as they came. He had managed to keep what was left of Darby's crank business running while he did his time in Chino, in spite of the fact that it took him a long time to recover from the damage Teller had inflicted. Darby wanted to repay that loyalty by quenching his bloodlust, but not now.

"All I'm saying is that now is not the time. We have a good thing going with the Sons backing us. The money's flowing for the first time in a long time. The rape and murder of the Pres' kid and the VP's gash might put a damper on that relationship." Darby explained as they started walking towards the entrance to Murphy's. "A time and opportunity for vengeance is sure to present itself and when it does, I won't stand in your way."

* * *

It was close to one o'clock in the morning on Friday and the party at the Clubhouse was still raging at full blast. After a private initiation ceremony behind closed Chapel doors the night before, the relentless partying had begun and there were no signs of it slowing down any time soon. The noise coming from the lot was almost deafening. The loud music and raucous laughter, mixed with the strong smells of the flaming barbecue and weed was almost overwhelming. With food, booze, and pussy in abundance, there was excitement in the air as the mother charter celebrated the induction of SAMCRO's third and youngest Vice President. The mood was celebratory and everyone was happy and having a great time.

Everyone, that is, except Kyle Hobart.

After sulking around the Clubhouse, indulging in the ultimate of ultimate pity parties, Kyle staggered outside and found an out-of-the-way location to sit and continue pickling his brain with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black. He had lost count, but this was probably his third bottle tonight and he was drunker than he has ever been in his entire life. Kyle had started drinking from the moment he had stomped out of the Chapel the night Teller had been handed _his_ VP patch, but it had escalated into a real threat of dying from alcohol poisoning after his epic blow out with Clay.

With everyone gleefully celebrating Teller as SAMCRO's new VP, Kyle felt like he was trapped in some sort of alternate reality, made bearable only with copious amounts of booze. Pussy, his second fall back when shit got tough, was at this point in his inebriated state impossible to indulge in as he couldn't get, let alone keep, an erection. Kyle laughed bitterly to himself. The one thing he could always count on, his dick, had bailed on him too. All as a result of his own Club effectively emasculating him by installing a still wet-behind-the-ears brat in the position he had earned, in spite of what Clay had said. That crippled fuck was proving to be as useful as his hands.

He had put in the time, 17 years to be exact, and Kyle believed that it should count for something. Each oversight had hurt more than the last. Being denied the SAA patch when Clay became President had stung. Not nearly as bad though as when he had picked Otto as his VP, and now, the pain was unbearable and all because JT shot out some worthless sperm which had the good fortune of turning into Jackson Teller. That piece of shit was denying Kyle his rightful place at the table. Again.

Enough. Kyle was tired of the political backstabbing and bullshit permeating _his_ Club. Waiting for someone to recognize and reward him for his contributions was not the way to go. The only way he was ever going to sit in that chair next to Clay was if he made it happen himself. Once that happened, it was only a matter of time before Clay's arthritic mitts kept him from wielding the gavel and, in spite of whatever reasons he had for shacking up with Princess Morrow, Kyle would make sure Teller never got within reach of the brass ring.

Nearly toppling over as he sat back in his chair, Kyle's gaze fell on Jax, his old lady perched on his lap as usual. No doubt he was receiving congratulatory platitudes as the Reno President Zeus Esparza slapped him on the back. The new VP was surrounded by a group of his minions that included Opie, Chibs, and Bobby, along with Kozik and Happy from the Tacoma charter.

Enjoy your reign while it lasts, Prince of Charming, Kyle drunkenly grimaced to himself, because your days are numbered.

* * *

Jax was laying face down on his pillow, his naked ass having managed to escape the downy comforter that was now crumpled on the floor at the foot of the bed, when his eyes suddenly flew open. It was faint, but he could hear the sweet sound of his old lady singing softly to herself from down the hall in the laundry room. She was singing one of Gemma's favorite songs, Ruby Tuesday, making Jax smile as he closed his eyes and listened. Even though they had left the party before it had officially ended, it was almost four o'clock in the morning by the time he and Jolene had crawled into bed. Wired and amped from the celebration, it had been at least another two hours before he had let her fall asleep, curled up in his arms. Turning his head to look at the alarm clock on his bedside table, Jax smiled to himself. It was barely ten o'clock in the morning. If she ever suffered from exhaustion, Jolene never showed it. All the years she had spent disciplining herself into making time for school, her family, and their relationship had trained her to be fully functional with some times as little as four hours of sleep.

Unfortunately, Jax couldn't say the same about himself. Although he could function on little to no sleep, he wasn't very pleasant to have around and he certainly wouldn't be singing. Having that pre-scheduled money pick-up with LaRoy in Oakland meant that he couldn't doze in bed for another couple of hours, waiting for the opportunity to pounce on his girl if she came too close. It meant he had to get his ass up now.

Hearing him groan as Jax forced himself out of bed, Jolene peeked her head into the bedroom. "Hey, sexy," She smiled as she practically skipped across the room towards Jax. "What happened? You fall out of bed?" Jolene wrapped her arms around his naked waist as Jax pushed several errant curls away from her eyes.

Smiling, Jax dipped his head and dropped a kiss on her puckered lips. "Nah, a beautiful songbird woke me up."

"Oh I'm sorry." Jolene's lip curled into a pretty pout.

"Don't be." Jax said, stopping himself from getting overly sappy. The sound of her voice, hell, the mere knowledge that she existed in his world was like a balm to his soul, even when he felt like he no longer had one worth saving. "I have a meeting in Oakland at one. You, on the other hand, should've forced yourself to sleep a couple of more hours, darlin'."

"I could've, but I couldn't." She was beaming. "I'm too excited about our trip. Besides, I need to pack and I think you're down to your last clean pair of boxers."

"I told you, babe, Tahoe equals naked time. I'm not gonna have much use for clean boxers, so don't over pack." Jax smiled as she pulled away and swatted at him.

"I won't, you perv." Jolene managed to reply before Jax pulled her back and slammed her with a kiss.

"It's almost a three hour ride from here to South Lake Tahoe," Jax said, holding her face lovingly in his hands. "So try to get some sleep between now and Church tonight, ok?"

"I will. Now go take a shower 'cause I see myself getting yanked in there with you if you don't stop rubbing yourself up on me." Jolene kidded as she backed away.

"Oh, good idea!" Jax laughed as he scooped her up over his shoulder and carried his more than willing hostage into the bathroom.

* * *

After returning from Oakland late in the afternoon, Jax and Juice had been locked in the Chapel brainstorming, later to be joined by Clay as they brought him up to speed on a new Mayan issue that would have to be dealt with ASAP. Clay called the Club to the table earlier than usual to discuss SAMCRO's next course of action before holding Church with the other visiting charters. Sons of Anarchy was a brotherhood, but the mother charter, although small, set the standard for the rest of the MC. Threats to SAMCRO were best kept in-house less the other charters started seeing kinks in their armor.

Waiting until everyone was seated at the table and Tig had closed the Chapel doors, Clay pounded his gavel, calling the meeting to order. "It has come to my attention that our Mexi-pals are stepping up in their attempts to piss us off." Clay started. He nodded at Jax. "Lay out what you know to your brothers."

Jax looked around the table. "Earlier today, Tig, Juice, and I went to Oak-Town to pick up LaRoy's payment for our last shipment. According to LaRoy's latest Intel, the 'Lord of the Brown' is making a move in the next couple of weeks to ship H through Charming, under the radar."

"And how the fuck does he plan on doing that, brutha?" Chibs asked warily.

"If LaRoy's inside man at the Sanwa County Clerk's office knows what he's talking about, the Mayans are looking to buy that old truck yard on the east side of Modesto under one of their dummy corporations. That same dummy corp has filed for a permit to transport medical waste, including waste from all prison infirmaries in NorCal putting them on the road from Chino to Stockton and right through Charming."

"Do you know which dummy corp?" Bobby asked.

Jax pointed at Juice. "Gonsalves Waste Management, incorporated on June 29, 1998 in the City of Lodi." Juice read the info off his laptop.

"That's a legit business. The Mayans shouldn't have a problem getting that permit." Clay commented.

Jax shook his head. "Permit's ready to be signed by the County Clerk. LaRoy's guy has 'misfiled' the paperwork until we've had the chance to gather more Intel. If the Mayans get their hands on that truck yard, the Niners and Lin's crew are out of the H business indefinitely."

"Then who pray tell are we gonna sell the Irish hardware to?" Chibs asked.

"Fuck the Niners and Lin." Piney groused. "That truck yard's practically in our backyard."

"We can't let another drug trade operate through Charming. Bad enough we got the Nords to deal with for the unforeseeable future." Opie was shaking his head.

"This is Alvarez taking another proverbial shit on the Sons for not paying a vig for transporting through Nevada." Tig said. "We gotta make 'em stop, Clay."

"Yeah," Juice agreed. "First they started taking pot shots at Jax and Ope, then they went after McKeavey, then Otto."

"Any chance we can renegotiate that no vig-paying policy, just to keep the Mayans from shitting on Charming?" Bobby asked.

The look on Clay's face spoke volumes, but before he could open his mouth Piney slammed his fist on the table and hollered, "SAMCRO pays vigs to no one, much less to a glorified gang of wetbacks!"

"I think that means paying a vig is off the table." Clay said with a gleeful smirk before chomping down on his cigar.

"So I'm assuming you have another plan on reserve since you called us to the table." Bobby stated. "We've got to put a stop to this Mayan bullshit and fast."

"I agree." Clay replied. "What's the plan, VP?"

Jax was not surprised that Clay would put him on the spot. It was time to show his brothers that he could make the hard choice now that he was a shot caller.

"I've thought about this a lot and Ope's right. We can't allow another drug presence to operate through Charming. The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that is more about Alvarez pissing on us than him actually expanding his H business. With us selling hardware only to the Niners and Lin's crew, the Mayans do not have the fire power to start a turf war in Oak-Town." Jax explained.

Speaking up for the first time, Kyle snarked, "So what are you proposing, big man on campus?"

"I'm proposing we hit the truck yard." Jax replied with a hard glint in his eye directed at Kyle.

"Oh, that's just great. Like we don't have enough of a beef with the Mayans, let's just stir up the pot some more." Kyle said angrily. He couldn't believe the so-called leadership that was coming from that end of the table. This is what you get when you put a 5-year old in charge. "Why don't we just blow up their Clubhouse and fucking get it over with already and declare war on the Mayans 'cause war is exactly what's gonna happen if we blow up that truck yard. Alvarez is going to beat a fucking path straight to our door."

"Let him." Tig challenged. "We've got the funds, the firepower, and the Niners said we can count on 'em for back-up."

"I'm all for blowing up the Mayan Clubhouse," Clay smiled at Kyle, but there was no mirth in his steel blue eyes. "But Bloody '92 almost wiped the Sons off the face of the earth. The goal here is to prevent an all-out war over a fucking territorial pissing contest. If either of you can come up with a plan to blow some shit up, without it blowing back on SAMCRO, I'm all ears."

"If Kyle would shut the fuck up for five minutes, I'll lay my plan down on the table." Jax turned his hard gaze on Kyle, who was quick to jump out of his seat.

"What, you're not man enough for a little constructive criticism? Prove your manhood and come shut me up!" Kyle challenged with Jax rounding the table before he finished speaking. With Juice barely blocking his path, Bobby grabbed onto Jax's cut and pulled him back. On Kyle's side of the table, Tig, Chibs, and Opie sat back and watched because the only one in immediate danger was Kyle and he had it coming.

Clay was banging his gavel on the table. "Everyone contain your shit and sit down! One beef at a time, for chrissake's!"

Pulling out of Bobby's grasp, Jax readjusted himself. "You alright, brother?" Bobby asked him.

Jax nodded with flared nostrils as he sat back down in his chair.

"Shit fully contained?" Clay asked Jax, who nodded once again. "Continue."

"We need to send Alvarez a message without putting our stamp on it and having it blow back on the Club. He can think it's us. Fuck, he can know in his heart that it was us, but he won't be able to prove it." Jax started explaining.

"What do you have in mind, brother?" Clay asked.

"I had Juice look into the truck yard." Jax nodded to Juice. "Tell them what you found out."

"The truck yard currently sits on six acres of industrial space on the east side of Modesto. It's on the edge of town that hits up against Oswald's lumber acreage. It should be easy enough to gain access to the truck yard through Oswald's land. The yard has several propane and diesel tanks and it seems that the current owner has a cash flow problem and hasn't been able to keep the yard up to code. He's been cited 13 times for safety violations and Sanwa County is threatening to revoke his operating license until the yard is brought up to code. A hearing has been set for some time this summer, but he will more than likely lose his property and all remaining assets and this is the reason he's looking to get out of the business. He's willing to sell to Brown at well below the market value if they're willing to get the yard up to code and the County off his back. The sale is expected to go through within the next two weeks after the work has been completed. All we need to do is make the destruction of the yard look like an industrial accident due to the failure of the business owner to properly maintain his equipment. After that, we're home free." Juice said confidently.

"Even if you could make that happen," Piney started. "It'll probably be easy enough for the Fire Inspector to rule it as arson."

"Not if we have the inspector in our pocket," Jax smirked. "Apparently, Fire Marshall Bill has a problem with the horses and football and is in deep with Cacuzza's crew. I don't think we'll have a problem convincing him to omit certain facts about the explosion from his report in return for a little debt consolidation, especially since he's still getting around on crutches after missing a payment to Cacuzza."

"And if we do this before the sale goes through, all Alvarez can do is shrug his shoulders and SAMCRO is free and clear." Tig added. He nodded at Jax. "Plausible deniability. Smart plan, brother."

"I agree." Clay grinned appreciatively. "I'd like to be a fly on the wall when Alvarez sees his yard on fire." He looked at Jax. "So who do you want to task for this job?"

"I think Bobby, Opie, and I can put a plan together and get it done before the sale goes through." Jax replied.

"I want it done before the end of next week." Clay stated. "I'm sorry to do this to you, brother, but you know what that means."

"All hands on deck." Jax nodded, unsure how he was going to break the news to his old lady.

"Everybody on board?" Clay asked with everyone, including Kyle, nodding in agreement. "Good. Then let's get busy. Meeting adjourned." He slammed the gavel down.


	18. Forever Yours

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

It was near twilight when Jolene pulled into the T-M lot. Parking as close as she could get to the Clubhouse, which was crowded with more bikes than usual, she jumped onto the hood of her car and watched as the sun finished setting, turning the sky a beautiful purple and orange. It was a clear and cool night and, in spite of last night's party that had spilled over into the early morning hours, the lot was filling up once again with those that had turned having a helluva good time into a calling. Jolene loved her SAMCRO family and Charming, but she was _so_ ready for this getaway with Jax. Since graduating college, Jolene had lost contact with the world that existed outside the MC. She didn't long for "normal", but it was nice to occasionally dip her toes in it for a little bit. It gave her perspective on the life she had chosen for herself here in Charming and reminded her to appreciate everything she did have because of the Club. Jolene smiled to herself when she realized that this would probably be the first time Jax spent any extended period of time in the outside world. These next four days were bound to be an eye-opener for the both of them.

Jolene ran her hand through her loose curls and smiled as she caught the familiar whiff of Jax's cigarettes. Turning her head slightly, she watched him approach the Mustang with one hand in his jeans' pocket as he flicked his cigarette butt away with the other.

"Hey, darlin'." He greeted and, before he could say another word, Jolene's smile fell off her face. Something in the tone of his voice told her she wasn't going to like what he was going to say next. Seeing the light dim in her eyes stabbed Jax in the heart. "I'm sorry, baby. I promise I'll make it up to you."

Before he could grab her and pull her towards him, Jolene jumped off the hood of the car. "You promise?" Jolene asked, unable to keep the bitter chuckle from escaping her lips. "How about if my response to that statement every time you say it from now on is, I'll believe it when I see it?"

Jax ran his hand through his hair. Yeah, he knew she'd be pissed, but she was being unfair as he didn't often break promises to her and only when his duty to the Club demanded it. After the rough patch the Club's had to endure these past couple of months, Jax knew she needed, they _both_ needed this time away, but what he had to do for the Club would benefit everyone in the long run, not just the two of them.

"Jo, I have a job I have to start and finish before the end of next week. I can't take off for four days right now, but I pro—" Jax started, but stopped himself. "I will make this up to you, darlin'."

Jolene was shaking her head. "No, I get it, Jax. I may be on the list of your priorities, but just not at the top. Do I even make the top five?" She asked sarcastically. Seeing Jax's body language go from exasperated to defensive, Jolene threw her hands up. "You know what? Don't answer that. I shouldn't make it a habit of asking questions I really don't want the answers to." She turned and headed for the driver's side of her car.

Before she could get in, Jax rounded the front end of the car and slammed the door shut. Standing face-to-face, Jolene was looking up at Jax with wide, wounded eyes.

"Don't. Walk away from me." Jax started, his eyes flashing in the dim light of the parking lot. " _Especially_ , when you're pissed because your anger I can take, darlin'. It's the disappointment in your eyes that's killing me."

Leaning her back against the car door, Jolene closed her eyes as she rubbed her forehead. "I'm a little hurt, Jax." She said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I know," He cupped her face, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "And I am truly, very sorry, baby."

Although Jolene knew he was being sincere, she wasn't in the mood to hear that right now. She was probably being selfish, she knew, but Jolene wanted to wallow in her anger and disappointment for minute. Keeping a stiff upper lip all the time was physically exhausting.

"Leave the car here and let me take you home." Jax offered, his eyes searching her face.

"No," Jolene shook her head, effectively shaking herself out of his hold. "I'm gonna go see Donna and the kids for a little bit." She turned to open the car door again.

"Don't lose faith in me, Jo." Jax said, the urgency clear in his voice. "I mean it when I say I'm gonna make this up to you."

Throwing herself into the driver's seat, Jolene looked up at Jax. "Yeah, I know. I heard you the first time." She said before slamming the car door.

* * *

By Monday of the following week, things were almost back to normal around the Teller-Morrow household with Jolene no longer squirming out of Jax's embraces. It had taken him a while, longer than the aftermath of any of their previous spats, but he had finally worn her down. His mother had always told Jax that he could sell ice to an Eskimo and probably sweet talk a nun out of her knickers. Well, it had taken every ounce of persuasion he had on reserve to get Jolene smiling and laughing again, but, thankfully, it wasn't long after that before he had her knickers down around her ankles as well.

The guilt he had felt for disappointing her by canceling their trip at the last minute was unlike anything he had ever felt before. All Jax knew was that he would do whatever it took in order to never see that look of utter disappointment in her eyes directed at him ever again. Although she refused to discuss Tahoe, Jax had been busy simultaneously planning the hit on the Mayan truck yard and their rescheduled getaway, both with a lot of help from Bobby.

It was now late Thursday night and Jax, Opie, and Bobby were on their way back to Charming from the truck yard in Modesto. After doubling back for the third time, Opie was now cautiously maneuvering the cargo van down the I-22 with Jax cradling his still-pounding head as he sat on the floor in the back of the van.

"You alright, brother?" Bobby asked from the passenger seat in the front.

"Never better." Jax replied. That was a lie, but Jax was just grateful that the ringing in his ears had stopped.

Jax recoiled as Bobby shone his flashlight at him. Noticing the dried blood that had trickled down his neck from his ear, Bobby shook his head. "He may have a concussion. Maybe we should take him to that doctor in Galt." Bobby directed at Opie.

"No, you shouldn't." Jax interjected. "What you need to do is take me home."

"A lot of good that sweet cabin I was able to hook you up with in Tahoe will do ya if you wake up dead, Jax." Bobby chastised. Jax chuckled to himself. After the way she had reacted last week, Jax was sure Jolene would still be pissed at him for ruining another trip by dying in his sleep.

"I'm fine. It's not like I've never had a concussion before." Jax reasoned.

"I think that's kinda the point Bobby's trying to make, Jax." Opie threw over his shoulder. "One too many concussions is not a good thing, brother."

"I'm fine." Jax repeated. "Nothing some Vicodin and Vodka won't fix." He couldn't help but chuckle at the horrified look Bobby threw at him. "I'm kidding."

"Funny." Bobby retorted sarcastically. "Look, I haven't survived over 20 years as a Son only to be taken out by a petite, green-eyed she-devil wielding a steel bat."

"At this point, I'd rather take a bat to the head from my old lady than disappoint her again. Just take me home. Jolene will know what to do." Jax insisted.

"Jesus Christ, Jax!" Jolene managed to holler through clenched teeth at the sight of him as Opie sheepishly dropped Jax off at the front door.

"You sure you don't want to go to the hospital, brother?" Opie asked from outside as Jax stepped into the house.

"Yeah, at least at the hospital you'll have a fighting chance of surviving the throttling your old lady looks on the verge of giving you, plus you'll have witnesses." Bobby kidded, hoping to lighten Jolene's mood.

Seeing Jax holding the side of his head with dried blood on his face softened Jolene's resolve to stay mad at him. Shaking her head, Jolene rushed to him. Gently grabbing his face, she kissed his mouth softly.

"I love you." She whispered before turning back to Opie and Bobby. "Thanks for bringing him home to me."

"He wouldn't have it any other way, Jo." Opie winked at Jolene.

"If you need me to stay, I can." Bobby offered.

Jolene shook her head. "I got it from here. Just get home safe."

Closing and locking the front door, Jolene led Jax to the living room. Jax smiled to himself as he noticed that she had been in the middle of packing saddle bags for the trip she refused to acknowledge they were taking come morning.

"Sit down, baby." Jolene directed him to the leather recliner as she unzipped and removed the hoodie he was wearing. "Anything hurt?"

Jax chuckled. "My head."

"Besides your head, Jackson," Jolene smiled. "Anything else hurt?"

"No." He replied simply.

"Good. Stay put and I'll be right back." Jolene was heading to the kitchen when Jax reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I love you more." He said with a slight smile.

Jolene bent towards him and dropped a kiss on his lips. "That's not possible."

After returning from the kitchen with an ice pack, painkillers, and her trusty first aid kit, Jolene went to work on Jax. As far as she could tell, he had a nasty bump on the back of his head, but nothing that required stitches. The blood from his ear was all that really worried her even though it appeared to have been just a trickle.

"I'm not a doctor, but I don't think you have a concussion." Jolene commented after checking his pupils with a pen light. Dropping to her knees before Jax, she started cleaning the scrapes on his hands with hydrogen peroxide.

"You've seen plenty of shit go down at the Clubhouse over the years, darlin'. I trust your judgment." Jax said.

"You shouldn't." Jolene shook her head. "What you should do is go to a doctor, _but_ I won't nag."

"I see you're packing for Tahoe." Jax said, trying to change the subject.

Jolene shrugged her shoulders. "I was."

Quirking an eyebrow at her, Jax said adamantly, "You are."

"Jax, we can't go now, not without knowing how seriously you're hurt." She said, her eyes pleading with him.

"Jo, I got knocked on my ass and I bumped the back of my head. I'm fine." Jax insisted. "You've seen me in worse situations, like the time I fell off my bike and rolled head first 30 yards down into a ravine."

"You were sixteen." Jolene countered.

"It still hurt like fuck." Jax replied. "I honestly remember pain worse than what I'm feeling now."

"That's 'cause you broke your collar bone." Jolene said with a slight smirk.

Jax raised an eyebrow as he smiled. "And after all this time, you still think it's funny." He accused.

"It's not like you didn't have it coming." Jolene said and covered her mouth with the back of her hand to suppress a giggle. "You _were_ showboating." For Tara,Jolene said to herself as she swore she would never say that name out loud.

"Go ahead, laugh. I know you want to." Jax encouraged her, glad to hear her girlish giggles bubble to the surface. "The point is that was worse and I survived, so we're still going to Tahoe."

"Okay." Jolene agreed as she tried to force her face back into serious mode as she packed up her first aid kit.

Standing up, Jax pulled her onto her feet. "Let's go to bed. We can finish packing in the morning."

Jolene bit her lip. "You really shouldn't go to sleep for a couple of hours, babe." I don't want you slipping into a coma, she thought, but couldn't bring herself to say out loud.

Jax was shaking his head. "I didn't say anything about sleeping, darlin'."

"You want some nookie?" Jolene asked, taken by surprise as Jax flashed her with a salacious grin.

"I told you I was fine, Jo. I'd start worrying if this ever stopped working." Jax led her hand to the crotch of his jeans.

"Oh my God, Jax! You're hard." Jolene stage-whispered as if they weren't alone in their own house.

"I've just spent the past hour staring down your tank top, babe. The result is just one of the benefits of having your old lady patch you up."

* * *

As usual, Jolene was up and about at an indecent and ungodly hour, or at least it seemed that way as far as Jax was concerned. It was almost nine o'clock and Jax was surprised that she was so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as she had spent most of the night checking on him to make sure he was still breathing. Jax knew this because Jolene had woken him up each and every time she had hovered over him to make sure he hadn't croaked in his sleep.

Sitting in the living room while cleaning his Glock, Jax smiled to himself as he watched her flutter around the house, tying up loose ends before they hit the road.

"If I didn't know any better," Jax started as she walked into the living room to check the patio door. "I'd say you were on crank."

"Why would you say that?" She stopped and turned to look at her old man with her hands on the waist of her low-riding jeans.

"Because you've managed to make breakfast, finish packing, and clean an already-clean house, by the way, in the time it took me to shower." Jax explained. "And that's the third time you've checked the patio door since I've been sitting here."

"That's called being obsessive-compulsive and it tends to kick in when I'm excited." Jolene replied as she took a seat next to Jax on the couch. "I've checked the stove five times too, but who's counting?" She smiled as she gently ran her hand over his hair and tucked it behind his ear.

Quickly grabbing her hand, Jax brought it to his lips, making sure to kiss each finger individually. "Spending alone-time with your outlaw biker really excites you, huh?" He teased.

"Oh hell's yeah." Jolene replied without hesitation. "I have a weakness for bad boys." She bit her lip as Jax leaned towards her.

"And I have a thing for sexy school teachers with nipple piercings and crotch tattoos." Jax nipped at her lips before Jolene grabbed his face and nearly sucked the tongue out of his head.

Pulling away, Jolene laughed. "I just thought of something. We're the embodiment of a plot from one of Luann's movies."

"Porn is fantasy, darlin'. The reality is so much better." He smiled at her and Jolene felt like a love-struck and totally smitten teenager all over again. Jax forced himself up from the couch and tucked his Glock into the holster underneath his cut. "We need to hit the road, Jo because staying holed up right here with you for the next three days is starting to sound really good to me right about now."

It was starting to sound good to her, too. "Okay." She said almost reluctantly, momentarily shaking herself from the spell he's had her under almost all her life. "I just need to throw my jacket on," Jolene stated as she got up and headed in the opposite direction towards the kitchen. "But first I've gotta check the stove."

* * *

They were just outside the city of Folsom, the halfway point between Charming and South Lake Tahoe, when Jax stopped for gas and a quick smoke. Not one to squander an opportunity to get some, Jax cornered Jolene as she exited the bathroom and pinned her to the wall next to the door. Working her with what seemed like multiple pairs of hands, Jax was whispering sweet nothings into her ear in an effort to convince her to step into the deserted Men's Room for some quickie on-the-road action.

"No." Jolene kept up her mantra of No's, denying him access into her pants. "I'd rather wait until we get to Tahoe." Jolene insisted.

"I'll be ready to go again once we get there, darlin'." Jax insisted.

"Oh I know you will. I just don't feel like dropping trough in some dirty gas station bathroom." Jolene argued, her hands balled up in his hair in spite of herself.

"It's not that bad in there. Come on." Jax cajoled as he trailed kisses down the side of her neck, pulling her hips flush with his.

"No, you are not propping me up against some filthy wall or setting my ass down on some germ-infested sink."

"Then I'll bend you over." Jax said, confident that he was offering her a viable alternative.

"Since you put it that way, uh no!" Jolene teased.

"Please."

Jolene pulled away and giggled. "Awww, did you just say please?"

"No one likes a tease, Jo." His face was deadly serious, but Jolene could see the playful glint in his eyes.

"I'm not the one who started this." Jolene defended herself.

"I can hold out too, you know." Jax threatened.

Jolene cut loose with a particularly unsexy laugh that came out as a snort. If she wasn't 100% sure before, she was totally convinced now that he was joking. "No you can't."

"Yeah, you're right. I can't." He conceded with a half-grin. "I won't enjoy it, though."

"Yeah you will." Jolene said. Finally escaping his hold, she sashayed back to his bike as she winked at him over her shoulder.

Jax smiled, watching her ass call his name as she walked away. "Yeah, who am I trying to kid?"

Jolene tossed Jax his helmet as he approached the bike. "You mad at me?" She asked with a pout.

"If I say 'yes', are you gonna keep denying me pussy?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

Jolene's mouth fell open in mock shock. "Maybe." She crossed her arms, too.

"Then the answer's no, I'm not mad at you." He replied with a cheesy grin.

"You are such a man." Jolene shook her head as she threw on her helmet.

"At least I don't snort when I laugh, darlin'." He tried dropping a quick kiss on the tip of her nose, but she playfully pushed him away.

Laughing, Jax climbed onto the bike and adjusted his riding gloves as he waited for Jolene to jump on. Jax closed his eyes for a moment as he enjoyed his most favorite sensation in the world. He lived for riding and being on the open road, but nothing beat the feeling of her arms wrapped around his middle as she sat on the back of his bike. To keep Jolene from feeling the box in the inside pocket of his cut, Jax moved her arms so they rested closer around his hips. Jax smiled to himself as she misinterpreted the gesture as a come on and gave his crotch an appreciative rub. Throwing his bike into gear, Jax tore out of the gas station.

Convinced that Jax had broken every traffic law on the books in California, Jolene wasn't surprised when they reached their destination almost 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Cruising through the touristy section of South Lake Tahoe, Jolene half expected Jax to pull into the parking lot of any one of the several lodges they had passed, but instead he followed a path that led him away from the bustling resort town and further into the mountains.

Slowing down enough to pull his sunglasses off, Jax grinned to himself as they pulled into the long tree-lined driveway leading to the cabin where they would be spending the next 72 hours totally secluded from the outside world. Bobby had certainly come through for him if he judged the beautiful two-level luxury cabin with huge windows solely on outward appearances. Killing the bike's engine, Jax heard Jolene voice her approval.

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed, jumping off the bike. "What the fuck, Jax? Are you sure we're at the right place?" She turned to him with wide, excited eyes.

"Yeah." Jax replied, a little awed himself. "Well, actually, there's only one sure way to find out." Hanging his helmet from the handlebars, he climbed off the bike. Taking the steps leading to the front door two at a time, Jolene watched him from the bottom of the stairs as he ran his hand across the ledge over the front door. Finding a tiny manila envelope, Jax smiled down at her as Jolene ran up the stairs.

"Looks like we're at the right place, darlin'." Jax showed her the envelope with his name on it before letting the front door key fall out onto his palm.

Jax draped his arm over Jolene's shoulder, pulling her into his side as he turned the key. Stepping into the Great Room, Jolene was immediately slammed by the gorgeous, unobstructed view of the blue waters of Lake Tahoe through the floor-to-ceiling windows all along the south side of the house.

"Oh my God!" Jolene started crossing the room towards one of the windows, but suddenly stopped to look up at the cathedral ceiling. The Great Room was actually three rooms, which opened up into each other, creating one large room and making up most of the first floor. There was a large living area with supple-looking brown leather couches and a stone fireplace, a restaurant-quality granite kitchen, and a dining area with a rustic table big enough for twelve. "This place is huge!" Jolene said and automatically slapped her hand over her mouth. The acoustics in the Great Room made it sound like she was yelling.

"The kitchen and bar are fully-stocked," Jax started as he approached Jolene, pulling her into his arms. "There are three bedrooms upstairs, three-and-a-half baths, and a roof-top deck with a grill and heated Jacuzzi the size of a small lake, or at least that's what I was told."

Jolene practically squealed as she jumped into Jax's arms, her legs wrapped tight around his waist. Grabbing his face, Jolene kissed his mouth hungrily, with Jax quickly responding and taking the lead.

"Still planning on holding out on me?" Jolene questioned, almost breathless and her chest heaving, her eyes already making love to him.

"Fuck no!" Jax exclaimed. Cradling her ass in his hands, Jax cautiously climbed the stairs leading to the second floor as Jolene continued simultaneously biting and kissing his lips.

* * *

Jolene couldn't help but feel a little sad when she woke up on Saturday morning and realized that their weekend was one-thirds over. Looking over at Jax, Jolene smiled to herself as she heard him snore softly into his pillow. Even though she didn't want to waste their time here sleeping, Jolene knew Jax was exhausted.

Once they were done breaking in the king-sized bed in the Master bedroom upon their arrival, Jolene had convinced Jax to go on a nature hike on the trails leading to and from Lake Tahoe. What Jax had hoped would be just an hour or so of walking around in circles had turned into a nearly three-hour trek as they got turned around and ended up getting lost. Already out of his element, Jax's MC-instincts were kicking in and he didn't like feeling vulnerable. He was about to get cranky when Jolene suggested they go skinny dipping in a deserted inlet just beyond the tree line. Once out in the water, Jax was able to gather his bearings and located their cabin visible through a thicket of trees.

After alternating between swimming and making out in the water like a couple of teenagers, Jax had piggy-backed her back to the cabin, where they grilled steaks for dinner and watched the sun set while sharing a chaise lounge chair and bottle of Jack.

Itching to get up and about, Jolene's heart skipped a beat when she remembered finding a bruised and battered Jax on their doorstep the night before their arrival in Tahoe. Because she had still been upset about their postponed getaway, Jax had not gone into great detail about the job he was working for the Club. However, Jolene knew enough to know that both Opie and Bobby had a working knowledge of explosives. Putting two and two together, Jolene knew that the nasty bump on his head had to do with things that go boom and recoiled at the thought of losing Jax. Softy brushing his golden tendrils from his scruffy face, Jolene drank him in.

"Shit!" She muttered under her breath. She felt herself getting weepy and fought to keep the tears from falling. He was alive and well and fast asleep right next to her. She had nothing to be weepy about and had no idea where this sudden wave of emotion was coming from. "I love you so much." She whispered as she slowly pulled out the hand he had tucked under her pillow and kissed it. Resting it against her naked breast, Jolene smiled as his fingers twitched and one blond eyebrow arched.

Slowly waking up, Jax smiled as he noticed the placement of his hand. "Good morning." He said, his voice still raspy from sleep.

"Good morning." Jolene giggled as he tweaked her nipple.

Pushing himself up onto his elbow, Jax cradled Jolene's face with his free hand and kissed her softly. With her arm around his naked waist, she pulled herself closer until she was wedged between Jax and the mattress. Her lips curled into a slight smile as she felt his heartbeat drum in time with hers.

"It's almost eleven o'clock, babe. I thought you wanted to get an early start today, do some retail therapy." He said as Jolene nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, inhaling his manly scent, a subtle mixture of Irish Spring, sweat, and sex.

"I changed my mind." Jolene closed her eyes as Jax wrapped his arms around her. "I can get shopping done any time. I don't get to do this with you every day and who knows when we'll get the chance again."

"Good choice." Jax lifted her chin, bringing her mouth up to his again.

For a fleeting moment, Jax considered getting out of bed to retrieve the small box from his cut. He was about to pull out of her embrace and kick the comforter away when Jolene wrapped her leg around his waist, pulling him closer still as she arched against him. Cupping her tit and dipping his head, he talked himself into staying put as he sucked her nipple into his mouth. Quickly bringing his mouth back to hers, Jax swallowed her breathy moans as he pushed himself inside her.

The ring could wait. They had all the time in the world.

* * *

While Jolene cleaned up after dinner, Jax had gone about creating a little love nest in front of the roaring fireplace place consisting of every pillow and comforter he could find in the house. He wasn't a wine drinker himself, but he knew Jolene enjoyed a glass of pinot noir every now and again, so he had found a bottle in the wine refrigerator and had set it out for them to drink later.

Watching her as she hummed to herself in the kitchen, Jax took a shot of whiskey. He had spent most of the day shirtless and in sweatpants after their mid-afternoon game of strip pool. He had every intention of winning the game because any time he could get his girl naked was a good time, but Jolene never gave him the chance. She had been merciless and it was shameful how bad she had beat him. The loser had to make dinner, which Jolene was sure would consist of Cap'n Crunch and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but little did she know that Jax's motto was "when in doubt, throw it on the grill." He had managed to surprise her, in a good way, by making grilled salmon and an assortment of grilled vegetables. Thank God for the barbeque or he would have prefaced the most important night of his life with a bowl of cold cereal.

Having divested himself of his sweatpants, Jax was now laying on his side in a pile of down and pillows naked as the day he was born. Turning off the kitchen and dining room lights, Jolene entered the living area, which was awash in orange and gold from the setting sun on the horizon and the flickering light of the fire. Jolene stopped at the edge of his linen fortress and smiled.

"Can I join you?" She asked, unable to keep herself from taking in the beauty of his chiseled and muscled frame.

Jax shook his head. "Nope. This is a naked zone and you are _way_ overdressed."

Jolene looked down at her thong underwear and tank top. "You call this overdressed?"

"Absolutely."

"Aren't you tired of seeing my bits and pieces yet?" Jolene asked, hands on her hips.

Jax flashed her a look like she'd just kicked a puppy. "Are you shitting me right now, darlin'? You are a fuckin' work of art." The sincere awe in his voice made her blush. Smiling as Jolene pulled off her tank top, he added, "Woman, don't you know by now that I think you're hot as fuck?"

"Yeah, I do." Jolene replied as she stepped out of her thong and threw it at him. "And so does Kenny. Wonder where he got that from?"

With a sheepish grin, Jax shrugged his shoulders. "No clue. My nephew's got good taste, though." Getting onto his knees, Jax reached for Jolene. "Now get your naked ass over here!"

Pulling her into his arms, Jax was eye-level with her navel. He was lovingly dropping kisses on her crow tat as Jolene ran her hands through his hair. Feeling her shiver under his touch brought a smile of self-satisfaction to his lips.

"Come here." He pulled her down onto her knees and, burying his hands in her silken black curls, kissed her until she was moaning breathlessly. Feeling his mind shut out their surroundings as it settled into its one track, Jax pushed her away gently. "Jo, before it gets out of hand, and I know it will cuz my plan is to make love to you all night long, I need you to know how much I love you."

Feeling her heart melt, Jolene cupped his face, her thumbs grazing his slightly out-of-control beard. "I know, baby."

Jax kissed the palm of one of her hands. "Do you?" He asked and, seemingly out of nowhere, produced a little black box, holding it in the small space between them.

Looking down into his hand, and feeling flushed by the heat emanating from Jax and the fireplace behind him, Jolene's heart started pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath that came out as a shudder and Jax was afraid she was going to start bawling.

"I love you, Jolene." Jax almost whispered, brushing away the tears falling on her cheek with his thumb. "And I want to spend the rest of my life with you showing you just how much." Jolene's hand flew to her mouth to stifle a gasp as Jax flipped open the box. Watching her with a clenched jaw as her breathing quickened and her tears started flowing more freely, Jax swallowed the lump in his throat. "Will you marry me?"

Jolene looked up into Jax's face, the unique and rare diamond in the ring no match for her sparkling and wide pale green eyes.

"I know it's not easy being with me, darlin' and no matter how much I want to, I can't stand here and promise you that it will ever get any easier. I know I'm being a selfish prick by asking you to bind yourself to me forever," Jax stopped, knowing that he was dangerously close to dropping a couple of tears himself. Clearing his throat, he forced himself to continue. "But I can't imagine my life without you, Jo and it's all your fuckin' fault, so you better take this damn ring and say yes already." He smiled as he forced a giggle-slash-hiccup combo out of her.

"If you're gonna put it that way, what choice do I have?" Jolene kidded as Jax pulled the ring out of the box. "What took you so long, Teller?" She laughed nervously as he slipped the beautiful, one-of-a-kind ring onto her finger, bringing her hand to his lips.

"I love you so much." Jolene cupped his face, her lips brushing against his.

"Not as much as I love you." Jax kissed her mouth as he dipped her back, gently laying her in a cloud of fluffy comforters.

Jax moved his body over hers, the skin on his chest rubbing against her sensitive nipples, as his mouth crushed hers with his kiss, their tongues mingling together hungrily. Parting her legs with his knees, Jax rested himself against her as he looked into her passion-filled eyes and smiled. Eyes may be the windows to the soul, but in Jolene's case, when Jax looked into her eyes what he saw was a reflection of his own salvation as she looked at him with such love and longing, the likes of which he had never experienced before.

His fingers tangling in her hair, Jax nuzzled her neck, biting and sucking on her sensitive skin, forcing her to squirm beneath him. She was moaning her need to feel him inside her, nearly begging for it as the need to feel him as close and as deep as he could go overwhelmed her.

"Oh my God, Jax." Her nails were digging into his shoulders, leaving half-moon indentations as she arched against him. Although he longed to plunge himself into oblivion, Jax needed to taste and savor her, make her a permanent part of himself as he swallowed her essence. Kissing a trail between her beautiful breasts, Jax lovingly squeezed the supple orbs as he continued his trek down her body, her nerve endings so sensitive and raw, his every brush against her skin registered like an electric shock.

By the time he reached his reward, Jolene was shaking in anticipation of the release she could already feel building in her core. Palming her ass, Jax lifted her hips and opened her up to him as he latched on. Jolene felt her eyes roll to the back of her head as she fought to control the spasms that had the potential to render her unconscious as it has happened before, and more than once. Moving his hands to the back of her knees, Jax opened her up further to the ministrations of his tongue and fingers working in conjunction to force her to scream for him, first in sweet agony as her orgasm uncoiled itself around her and then in shock as he replaced his mouth with his stiff cock. Jax groaned as he felt the final contractions of her orgasm close around him as he started moving, first long and slow, then picking up speed as Jolene broke down and begged him.

"Oh, Jax, please!" Jolene pleaded, as he pounded into her, forcing her to scream again until she was crying. Closing his eyes, Jax moaned into her neck, finally letting the release that had been building and threatening to rip him to shreds take control, knowing that he could only feel this way in the arms of the woman he was going to make his wife.

* * *

Although Jolene had been dreading the time when their idyllic getaway finally came to an end, even she had to admit to herself that she was excited to get home to share their good news and show off her ring. Jax, on the other hand, had contemplated staying another night, until Clay called to let him know that there had been some rumblings about the truck yard explosion and that the Club had postponed Church until his return to Charming Sunday evening so they could have his input. Seeing that he was bummed out and feeling guilty about duty calling and not being able to extend their mini-vacation, Jolene assured Jax that their time away together could not possibly get any better. Besides, she had a lunch date Monday afternoon with her former college mentor Patrick Doyle. Pat had worked so hard to help her get the scholarship to the Master's degree program in San Diego that Jolene felt she owed him the courtesy of telling him face-to-face that she wouldn't be taking it.

It was close to dinner time when they finally entered Charming's city limits. Instead of taking their regular route home, Jax rode past the station house and headed towards the center of town. Most of the stores on Main Street closed early in the afternoon on Sundays, except for Murphy's Stop-N-Shop and Floyd's Barbershop. Pulling up outside the barbershop, Jax parked his bike and Jolene jumped off.

"What are we doing here?" She asked as she pulled off her helmet.

Jax smiled as he grabbed her face. "I'm gonna get a hot shave before Floyd's closes shop. My scruffy beard's doing a number on your sensitive skin, darlin'."

"Oh, you noticed." Jolene smiled back. "It's not only my face your beard's torn up, you know."

"Yeah, I noticed when I went down for a visit earlier." Jax waggled his eyebrows at her.

"I'm just grateful you visit down under often enough to give me beard burn. I'm a lucky woman." Jolene wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his mouth. "My face thanks you."

"You're welcome." Jax gave her ass a playful squeeze before getting off his bike.

"My pussy thanks you too." Jolene teased.

Quirking an eyebrow at her, Jax smiled. "Your pussy can thank me later."

"Oh, trust me, she will."

Holding Jolene's hand, Jax led her inside Floyd's, where she sat flipping through an old Time Magazine and watched as Floyd transformed his scruff into the goatee she loved so much, or as Jax liked to call it, his "pussy-juice catcher."

"Is he almost done?" Jolene asked Floyd as she put the magazine back on the table.

"In about five more minutes." Floyd replied, smiling at the always pleasant and beautiful young woman.

"I'll be right back, babe." Jolene said as she opened the door.

"Where are you going?" Jax asked as Floyd used scissors to trim his mustache.

"To the Stop-N-Shop before they close. I think we need milk and I'm in the mood for hot chocolate when we get home." Jolene smiled. "I'll be back."

* * *

He had spent the last four hours sitting in a stolen pick-up truck that had seen better days parked in an old speed trap on the I-22 leading into Charming. With only the hand crank for the window on the passenger side working, he was forced to sit in the dirty, stuffy, smelly cab with barely a breeze and no damn radio to listen to because even that piece of shit was broken. Staring without seeing out the dusty windshield, his thumb grazed the metal of the .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol resting on his lap. He was starting to believe that the Intel he had been fed was bullshit and that he wouldn't be seeing hide nor hair of Jax Teller today.

He was fighting the urge to nod off when he heard the distinct sound of a Harley engine barreling down the highway. Throwing the pick-up into drive, he waited for confirmation that the biker currently approaching his hiding place was the same biker he had been tasked to kill. As the Dyna-Glide sped past him, he waited 5 beats before stepping on the gas and hitting the road, following the bike into Charming. That had definitely been SAMCRO's new VP beating a path back home after an out-of-town trip. With any luck, the pussy riding bitch on his bike was his old lady. It would be nice to have an audience witness his handy work when he riddled the back of Teller's skull with bullets.

Good times ahead. Good times for sure.

* * *

Convinced that Teller was heading home, he nearly lost him as he weaved through town. Instead of heading to that pretty little house of his that he shared with that hot piece of ass, in that cozy little cul de sac, Teller thwarted his plans to ambush him and his old lady as he headed straight into the heart of Charming. Parking the truck in one of the side streets along Main Street, he watched as Teller and his girl entered the store-front barbershop. It was getting late on a Sunday afternoon. Most shops had closed or were closing and the sun was about to set. It was the perfect setting for the task at hand.

* * *

Jolene had taken longer than expected inside Murphy's. She had picked up a half gallon of milk and a six-pack of beer for Jax quickly enough, but in the interim, she had run into one of her former high school classmates working the express register. Jolene had dug some money out of her fitted leather jacket and handed it to Beth Duncan when the young woman suddenly grabbed her left hand and proceeded to make a big and embarrassing fuss over the ring Jax had so lovingly placed on her finger the night before. Knowing that news traveled fast in Charming, even on a Sunday night, Jolene reconciled with the fact that instead of going home to a soothing bath and hot chocolate, she was going to have to do damage control by going over to Gemma's tonight and telling her about Jax's proposal. If Mother Teller ever caught wind that someone in this town had known before her, Jolene would pay for the oversight for the rest of her life.

Swearing Beth to secrecy before leaving the store had been a complete waste of time because by the time Jolene had made it to the front door of the store, she was stopped two more times by nosy busy-bodies masquerading as well-wishers. Exiting the store, she saw Jax kneeling by the back of his bike, probably digging for the extra pack of cigarettes he had thrown in one of the saddlebags this morning. From her peripheral, she saw a man in a dark hooded sweatshirt crossing the street towards Jax and it didn't register with her that he was carrying a gun until she saw him raise the weapon and aim it at Jax's back. Dropping her shopping bag onto the pavement, the bottles of Jax's six-pack of beer shattering on impact, Jolene started running. As she opened her mouth to scream his name, the assailant got off a shot that caught Jax in the back. She was still running towards Jax, screaming his name, and unaware that the shooter had turned the semi-automatic pistol on her. Aiming it dead center at her chest, the shooter squeezed off two rounds, the impact of which knocked her clear off her feet.

* * *

With a hard, sickening thud, Jolene fell back onto the hard asphalt in the middle of Main Street. Clutching her wounds with her left hand, she could feel the blood spurting through her fingers with each heartbeat. It felt like someone was sitting on her chest and she was struggling to catch her breath. Jolene wanted to call out for him, tried calling out to Jax, but couldn't get enough air into her lungs to push his name past her lips.

I'm dying, Jolene thought, suddenly feeling at peace with herself as she realized there was nothing she could do to stop it from happening.

Her eyelids were getting heavy and Jolene fought to keep them from closing, refusing to let herself go before she saw her love's face again. Forcing herself to look up at the darkening sky seemed to be taking all the energy she had left. Through blurry eyes, Jolene saw a figure step into her line of sight. Rapidly blinking the fog away, Jolene wanted to cry when she realized it wasn't her Jax, but the shooter that was standing over her. With half-hooded eyes she stared at him, her mind racing as she fought not to lose consciousness before she had the chance to register his face in her mind's eye.

"Not today, bitch." The shooter smirked down at her as he aimed the semi-automatic pistol at her again, this time his target was her head at point blank range. Jolene closed her eyes, a lone tear blazing a trail down the side of her face and onto the ground beneath her.

Pulling the trigger, the shooter roared as the pistol jammed. Flipping it in his hand, he pulled his arm back, ready to bash her face in with the butt of the gun when the rumble of an approaching motorcycle pulled him from the edge of his blind rage.

"Let's go!" Jolene heard the man on the bike call out to the shooter. She was spent and couldn't force herself to open her eyes again.

Tucking the worthless pistol into the waistband of his military fatigue-style pants, the shooter grimaced as he aimed his steel-toed booted foot and landed a forceful blow to the right side of Jolene's torso, the pain of the ribs he broke barely registering.

* * *

Jax felt like he was swimming to the surface through muddy waters that were weighing him down. Coming to, he realized that he was face down on the ground outside Floyd's. The impact of the bullet that had seared a clean path through his shoulder from back to front had knocked him to the ground where he smashed his head into the pavement. Shaking himself out of the dense fog clouding his brain, Jax heard a motorcycle come to a screeching halt. Five seconds later, the same bike was blazing a path straight out of Charming.

"No, no, no." Jax fought the urge to lose his fucking mind as he realized that the last thing he had heard before hitting the ground was Jolene screaming his name, followed by two gunshots. Ignoring the fire burning his shoulder, Jax forced himself to stand. His ears were ringing again and the ground was swirling beneath his feet. Squeezing his eyes shut, Jax willed the vertigo to stop as a wave of nausea almost knocked him to his knees again. "No!" The scream tore itself from his lungs before he had fully registered what he was seeing. There she was, laying in the middle of the street, unmoving and bleeding out.

Running towards Jolene, Jax stumbled and fell just a few feet shy of his goal. Fighting through the blinding pain in his shoulder, Jax crawled on his hands and knees until he reached her side.

"Holy fuck! No, darlin', no! Please, God no!" Jax begged as he lifted Jolene's shoulders off the ground and cradled her in his arms. Jax placed his hand on the bullet holes in her chest and pressed down in what he knew was a futile effort to stanch the oozing blood. "Don't leave me, Jo. Stay with me, darlin." Jax pleaded as he felt her heartbeat against his hand. It was faint and slow, but her heart was still beating. She was still alive. Seeing a crowd gather outside Murphy's and Floyd's, Jax called out to them. "Call 9-1-1! Now, goddamn it! Please someone call 9-1-1!"

Rocking back and forth, Jax spoke to Jolene, praying that she could hear him. "Stay with me, darlin'. Please stay with me." He whispered against her temple, her pale skin clammy and cold.

* * *

David Hale had just left Nicky's Diner after having a quick dinner with his father and brother. He was heading back to the station house when a call reporting shots being fired in the middle of Main Street came over his radio. Slamming on the brakes, Hale pulled a hasty u-turn and headed back in that direction, sirens blaring and lights flashing.

The sun was setting as Hale turned the corner onto Main Street. With most shops closing early on Sunday, he was surprised to see such a large crowd gathered in front of Floyd's, especially after all the calls that had come through dispatch reporting gunfire. Looking beyond the crowd, Hale was shocked and horrified to see a bloody Jax Teller cradling and rocking the body of Jolene Morrow in his arms. Screeching to a halt, Hale jumped out of his jeep and ran, dropping to his knees by Jax's side.

"Dispatch, this is Unit 1349." Hale called into his shoulder mic. "I'm at the intersection of Main and Pennington, outside Floyd's Barbershop. We need paramedics on the scene. We have a female, early-twenties, with multiple GSWs to the chest. She appears to be breathing, but is unresponsive. Over."

"Unit 1349, paramedics have been dispatched, ETA 3 minutes. Over."

"Jax," Hale started, slowly and calmly. "Let me help you." Jax had his arms wrapped tightly around Jolene and was keening like a wounded animal. "I was a medic in the Marines. I can help Jolene if you let me, but you need to put her down now."

Jax, finally hearing and understanding what Hale was saying, nodded shakily. Hale looked up as Floyd rushed out of his barbershop, white-faced.

"Floyd, we need towels, sterile ones if you have them, as many as you can carry and some tape, quickly." Hale demanded.

He laid Jolene out on the pavement in the recovery position, flat on her back with her left leg slightly bent at the knee to allow her to breathe. Bringing his ear down to her face, Hale confirmed that she was breathing, albeit shallowly, and then examined the bullet holes. He looked at Jax. "Small caliber weapon, maybe a .22. There's no exit wound, so they're still lodged in her chest. We need to prevent air from entering the wounds." He explained, his brow furrowing as he noticed that Jax himself had been shot in the shoulder and was bleeding profusely.

Moving as fast as his legs could take him, Floyd returned with a stack of white towels and a roll of white adhesive tape. Grabbing a towel, Hale threw it at Jax.

"Apply pressure to that shoulder." Hale directed as he applied a couple towels to Jolene's chest, which were quickly soaked through with her blood. As he reapplied fresh towels, Hale realized that one side of Jolene's chest seemed higher than the other. "Oh, shit. Where's that damn ambulance?"

"What? What's happening?" Jax cried as Floyd tried place the towel on his shoulder. Pulling away, Jax threw himself towards Jolene.

"Floyd, get some help and hold him back!" Hale hollered.

Floyd may have been small, but he was wiry and had the strength in his arms to pull Jax back all by himself. "Look at me!" Floyd started, shaking Jax slightly to get him to look him in the face. "Let him give her the help she needs." Floyd's words seemed to sink in as Jax backed off a little.

Floyd had seen his fair share of action during the Korean War and had witnessed injuries far worse than this, but he knew that precious minutes were ticking away and if they didn't get her to a hospital and soon, Jackson Teller was going to see his lady die right before his very eyes. Realizing that the young man had turned sallow as he continued to bleed, Floyd pressed the towel he was holding against Jax's shoulder, causing him to hiss in pain.

"I think her lung is collapsing." Hale said grimly. He put his head to one side of Jolene's chest and noted that he didn't hear any sounds coming from her left lung. Glad that he could finally hear sirens barreling towards the center of town at a distance, Hale's relief was short-lived as Jolene stopped breathing completely.

"No, damn it! Stay with me!" Hale quickly ripped open her blouse and started CPR.

The realization that she was gone hit Jax like a bat to the face and he collapsed to his knees, bringing Floyd down with him. Looking on stone-faced as Hale worked on Jolene, Floyd tried to comfort the hysterical young man clinging to him for dear life as he grieved for the woman he loved.


	19. The Crash

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy** **.**

* * *

To say that it was unexpected was an understatement.

Instead of snoozing off a Sunday dinner food coma on his couch at home, Clay had been going about his usual routine in preparation for the Church meeting scheduled to begin as soon as his VP arrived. Clay was sitting in the Chapel with Bobby going over the financials as he leaned back in his chair smoking a cigar and rubbing his overstuffed belly, when he heard Gemma's blood-curdling scream come from the Main Room. Nearly falling out of his chair as he and Bobby ran to the closed Chapel doors, Clay was confronted with the sight of Opie and Chibs picking a distraught Gemma up off the floor.

"What the fuck happened?" Clay nearly bellowed, his heart pounding in his throat as he was met by a sea of grim faces.

Stepping towards Clay, a somber-looking Tig handed him Gemma's pre-pay. "It's Unser."

Little did Clay know that his world was about to come crashing down the moment he put that phone to his ear.

Now, as Clay stood outside St. Thomas' emergency room entrance with his arms around Gemma, not quite sure who was supporting who, and surrounded by their SAMCRO family, he had no recollection of how he had gotten to the hospital in the first place. His mind had detached itself from his body the moment Unser had started speaking. Considering the circumstances, that was probably a good thing or he would most definitely be burning Charming down to the fucking ground right about now.

"I hear sirens." Opie blurted, his usually calm façade showing cracks, his eyes wide and wild with barely under control grief.

"Oh, Jesus. God, please." Gemma was practically begging, her face tear-stained and her eyes bloodshot, as two ambulances roared into the receiving area.

"Holy shit!" Bobby clamped his hand over his mouth as the back doors to both ambulances flew open. A paramedic, quickly followed by Deputy Hale, jumped out of the first one. Clay ran his hand over his face as he caught sight his little girl, strapped to a gurney, drenched in blood and pale as death.

Gemma covered her mouth to contain her sobs as she heard her son screaming bloody murder for Jolene in the second ambulance.

"You need to let me the fuck out of here!" Jax was roaring at the female paramedic, who was struggling to keep the blood pressure cuff on his arm as Jax was yanking on any and all wires and straps he perceived as keeping him bound and away from Jolene.

"Sir, you need to calm down." The paramedic tried to soothe him. "You're making your injury worse."

"Fuck you! Let me out of here!"

"Sir, either you calm down or we're going to have to use restraints." A second paramedic warned Jax.

"Everyone needs to move out of the way!" The muscle-bound paramedic from the first ambulance hollered as the portable heart monitor attached to Jolene went from making blip-blip sounds to a long, piercing whine.

"She's flat-lining again!" Hale called out as he helped the driver and the first paramedic pull the gurney out onto the ground.

"Let's get her in! Everybody move!" The paramedic yelled as they wheeled the gurney through the crowd that had parted like the Red Sea.

"Jolene!" Came Jax's agonized cry as his paramedics made good on their threat and tied him to the gurney.

"Stay with Jax." Clay said to Gemma as if she had any other intention and rushed inside after his daughter.

"Ope, stay with her." Bobby pushed Opie towards Gemma before he ran inside the hospital right behind Clay.

Trying to keep up with the crowd of doctors and nurses that congregated around Jolene as the paramedics pushed the gurney down the hallway, Clay and Bobby were suddenly and abruptly stopped by a pair of orderlies as she was wheeled into the Triage area behind swinging doors.

"You can't go in there." The buff and burlier of the two orderlies informed them as Clay flared his nostrils and clenched his aching fists.

"He's her father." Bobby said in an even-tempered voice so as to not aggravate an already-tense situation.

The second orderly with unruly red hair nodded sympathetically. "We understand, sir, but there's really nothing either of you can do in there except get in the way. Let the doctors and nurses do their jobs."

Standing outside the door to the Triage, Clay and Bobby watched helplessly through the window as the doctors frantically worked to restore Jolene's heartbeat. Clay couldn't get past the amount of blood he was seeing and fought to keep his mind from settling on the fact that he may have to come to terms with losing his little girl.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was actually less than two minutes, a mini-celebration broke out in the Triage as Jolene's heart started beating. After being intubated, several nurses and a doctor proceeded to wheel her out of Triage, past Clay and Bobby and towards the elevators. Before they could take off after her, a young female doctor stopped them.

"Are either of you next of kin?" She asked.

Blinking away the tears that have been threatening to fall since Unser called, Clay nodded. "I'm Jolene's father, Clay Morrow."

"Mr. Morrow, your daughter was shot twice in the chest with a small caliber weapon. One of the bullets may have perforated her left lung, but we won't know the extent of any other injuries until the surgeons go in there. She's lost an extreme amount of blood, but she's stable enough for surgery and that's where she's being taken to now." The doctor explained.

"How long, Doc?" Bobby asked.

"Hard to tell. Five hours, maybe more." The doctor replied. "There's a waiting area near the surgical suite. I can have a nurse escort you up there now, if you'd like."

"Absolutely, Doc." Clay was nodding anxiously.

"Sure thing, no problem." The doctor called over to one of the young nurses that had been working on Jolene. "Vicky, this is Mr. Morrow, Jolene's father. Could you please escort him to the waiting area on the fourth floor?"

"Sure, come this way." Vicky started, but stopped abruptly as she put her hand into the front pocket of her scrubs shirt. "Oh, these belong to your daughter, Mr. Morrow." Vicky cautiously handed Clay Jolene's personal effects, including her silver thumb ring, piercings, the locket, _and_ Jolene's new engagement ring, still covered with traces of dried blood after they had been hastily cleaned up. Closing his eyes, Clay remembered seeing the ring one other time: that day in the Chapel after Kyle's epic meltdown and threat to issue an officer challenge. Jax had spoken to him about his intention to marry Jolene and how he wanted to take her away to propose.

Holding what he knew must be her most precious belongings so soon after the attack gave Clay an awful foreboding that he may never be able to give these things back to her, and for just a moment, he finally gave way to his grief. Collapsing into Bobby, his friend shouldered him with an arm around his back as they headed to the waiting room and Clay was finally able to get his emotions back under control.

* * *

Meanwhile, Jax had been wheeled into a separate Triage room where Gemma was actually allowed in with the hope that she would be able to calm him down. The wound to his left shoulder was non-life threatening having been a clean shot through and through and not hitting any major arteries, but he had lost a lot of blood. Jax was in danger of suffering a severe drop in blood pressure if he continued to struggle against efforts to stop the bleeding and close the wound. Gemma watched horrified, with Opie's arm around her shoulders as he squeezed her to his side, as Jax's grief and fear overwhelmed him, rendering him nearly hysterical. Once the restraints were taken off, he was back to fighting off any attempts to help him as he tried to break free and take off after Jolene.

In spite of the blood loss and pain in his shoulder, Jax had to be physically restrained by two orderlies, with Opie jumping in to help as he screamed for Jolene. Unable to control her own grief for Jolene and the pain she felt for her son as he agonized over his love, Gemma broke down and cried as Opie cradled Jax in his arms as he was forcibly given a sedative that slowly rendered Jax unconscious.

* * *

Clay marveled at how time seemed to stand still in hospitals as it was slowly creeping along and only just now approaching Jolene's third hour in surgery. _Another two-plus hours of this shit and I'm gonna end up eating my own gun_ , he thought bitterly. Unable to stomach the sterile, antiseptic stench of the surgical suite for another minute, Clay decided to move to the Chapel downstairs. Insisting that he needed alone time, his brothers refused to leave his side as he led a procession down to the Chapel.

He was trying to keep his shit together as Bobby soothed him, saying they had no reason to fall apart, when Gemma and Opie entered the room. Clay jumped to his feet as Gemma quickly rushed across the Chapel and into his arms. Cradling her as he ran his hand over her hair, Clay realized that he hasn't seen Gemma lose it like this since Thomas passed away.

"How's Jax?" He pulled her away slightly as he searched her face.

Swiping away at her eyes, Gemma started, "He's stable. They treated his wound and he needed a transfusion. He's no longer in any physical danger except for the harm he might to do to himself, so he had to be sedated." She said before breaking down again.

Holding Gemma against his chest, Clay nodded his chin towards Opie. "Did he say anything about the attack?"

Opie shook his head sadly. "He was too far gone." He replied, not wanting to mention the fact that Jax was convinced that Jolene was dead. "Any word on Jo?" Opie asked.

"Not yet." Bobby said grimly.

"Juice," Clay called out. "Take Gemma to the cafeteria. Get her some coffee."

"No." Gemma said adamantly. "I'm gonna go sit with Jax. They're waiting for a bed to open up and they should be moving him out of the ER soon."

"You do that. Keep us posted." Clay said, kissing his wife on the forehead.

After he was alone in the Chapel with his brothers, Clay called an impromptu meeting.

"This has Mayan retaliation written all over it," Clay said assertively. "But before we go into Oak-Town guns blazing, we need more Intel and fast."

"Where do we start, brother?" Tig asked. "Just give the word."

"At the scene of the crime." Clay replied. "Juice, Chibs, track down Floyd and find out what he saw. Juice, put some feelers out and see what the word on the street is on the Mayans. Bobby, I need you to contact Unser and get the inside track on any suspects. Tig, call the Clubhouse and let the MC know we are on total lockdown until further notice. Have 'em send a few bodies down here 'cause we need a Son stationed at every fuckin' entrance into this hospital, and while you're at it, I'm sure he's face down in some pussy somewhere, but track down Kyle and get his ass over here ASAP. I'm reaching out to Tacoma and Rogue River. I need both charters down here in full force come morning 'cause we may be going to war, brothers."

"Anything you want me to do?" Opie asked.

Clapping his hand firmly on Opie's shoulder, Clay said, "Call Piney up at the cabin and tell him to get Mary, Donna, and the kids to the Clubhouse pronto. Make sure he gets the word out that every old lady is to be kept under lock and key at the lot. We'll fill him in on the details later. Then I want you sticking close to your brother and his mother. Once he's moved, I don't want either of them unprotected."

* * *

It was past midnight when Jolene was finally wheeled out of surgery and into a private room in the ICU section of St. Thomas. Clay jumped out of his seat in the waiting room, startling Bobby onto his feet as well, as they were approached by a man in surgical scrubs that didn't look to be a day over thirty. Extending his hand, he introduced himself as Dr. Robert Negron, Jolene's cardiothoracic surgeon.

"How is she doin', Doc?" Clay asked, his voice full of hope, but his eyes could do very little to hide the fear that chilled his heart.

"Mr. Morrow, she responded very well to the surgery. She is definitely a fighter. Jolene is young and obviously in very good health before this incident, so all that works to her advantage, but I do have to be honest with you. I cannot be more than just cautiously optimistic in terms of her recovery." Dr. Negron explained.

"What does that mean?" Bobby asked, hoping the gruffness would mask the raw emotion in his voice.

"It means that her injuries were incredibly serious. She suffered not only damage to her heart, but her left lung as well. First, and most critical, there was severe damage to the left ventricle which basically prevented blood from reaching her heart. We had to perform an aortic valve bypass and inserted a replacement implant valve. Whenever a prosthetic device such as a valve is introduced into the bloodstream, there's a risk of developing a blood clot which can lead to an embolism should the clot become mobile." Dr. Negron explained. "Blood clots are always a concern, but in Jolene's case, she would be especially susceptible as most are pulmonary in nature. Normally, instances of blood clots being life threatening are slim, especially in a hospital environment, but Jolene's lung was perforated and collapsed which caused her to go into cardiac arrest twice before reaching the hospital. This put an enormous amount of strain on not only her already-damaged heart, but her body as well and has increased her chances of suffering a stroke. I'm sorry, Mr. Morrow, but Jolene's condition is extremely critical and unless we see significant progress towards recovery within the next 24 hours, she has about a 25% chance of survival."

Clay took a deep breath as he ran his hand over his face. Turning away from Dr. Negron without saying another word, he went to one of the waiting room chairs and collapsed into a heap.

"Thanks, Doc." Bobby shook Dr. Negron's hand.

"She's was just moved from recovery into a private room. He'll be able to see her in about half an hour or so." Dr. Negron informed Bobby before leaving the two men.

"That fucking Jax, man." Clay started, shaking his head angrily. "If he had only kept his hands _and_ his dick off of my daughter, she wouldn't be fighting against a 25% chance of survival."

Bobby was shaking his head. "Don't let yourself go to that scary place, Clay. That's your grief talking. You know those two love each beyond all reason. This is _not_ his fault."

"Really? Than who's fucking fault is it?" Clay turned on Bobby bitterly.

"Oh, I don't know? Call me crazy, but why not blame the fuckin' asshole that shot both your daughter and the Club's VP?" Bobby asked sarcastically as Clay glared at him. "Listen, until we know otherwise, this hit has Mayan stink all over it and, if that's the case, then it's not the man in the cut they were after. It was the cut itself. It could have been anyone and their old lady."

Clay shook his head rigorously. "My point exactly. I told her, Bobby, I warned her that this wasn't the life I wanted for her. I didn't want her to be an old lady, but Jax has this hold over her. This selfish fucking hold that kept her from going to San Diego. He should have let her go. If he had, she'd be alive."

Bobby closed his eyes, the thought of Jolene not making it ripping his heart out. "She's not dead, Clay."

Looking at his old friend with bloodshot, grief-stricken eyes, Clay almost whispered, "Not yet."

* * *

Clay was about to make his way to the ICU when Tig returned to the hospital flanked by a small army of Sons, including a couple of prospects.

"Excellent." Clay started, as he patted Tig on the back. "I want every entrance and exit covered. You catch a whiff of brown, you shoot first, ask questions never." He directed. Watching them disperse, Clay pulled Tig to his side. "I trust you with my life, brother. Now, I'm trusting you with my little girl's. I want you, and only you, posted outside her door, until further notice, okay?"

"Absolutely." Tig nodded and followed Clay into the ICU ward. As he and Clay approached Room IC-317, an armed deputy stepped in front of Clay and stopped him from entering.

"Sorry, no visitors allowed." Deputy Parsons informed Clay by putting his hand on the mother charter's President's cut.

The stress he's been under for going on eight hours, coupled with the need to see his daughter while she was still alive, morphed into blind rage at the thought of some pig keeping him from entering her room. Without identifying himself as her father, Clay grabbed the deputy's hand and, in one swift move, twisted it behind his back, shoving him up against the wall by the door.

"Hey!" Deputy Hale called out as he trotted up the hallway towards Clay with his hand on the weapon strapped to his hip.

Operating on pure instinct, Tig shoved his hand under his cut and grabbed the butt of the Glock in his shoulder holster. Before any weapons were drawn, Unser practically ran from the Nurses' Station, where he was getting briefed on Jolene Morrow's condition, to the altercation that was brewing outside her door.

"What in the HELL is going on?" Unser said through gritted teeth. "Do you not realize where you are? Everyone stand down, and Clay, please let go of my deputy."

Reluctantly releasing Deputy Parsons, Clay glared at Unser. "You order the police escort, cause this asshole is trying to keep me from seeing my kid."

"No," Hale started. "I did." He announced.

"What?" Both Clay and Unser said in unison.

"We are conducting an ongoing investigation. We have no suspects in custody and until we do, everyone and anyone who knew the victim is suspect."

"What?" Both Clay and Unser called out again.

"Why you little piece of shit!" Clay roared through gritted teeth as he lunged towards Hale.

Throwing himself in between Clay and Hale, Unser ran the risk of being tossed around like a rag doll, but he managed to get control over his deputy as Tig pulled Clay back from the edge.

Pushing Hale back with one hand, Unser turned to Clay. "No one's gonna keep you from seeing your kid, Clay."

"Good," Clay said bitingly. "So call off your attack dogs. I don't need anyone but one of my men protecting Jolene. And I'd appreciate if Deputy Hale over there recused himself from this case."

"That's not happening." Hale declared as Clay glared at him.

"Clay, I know you're hurting right now, but you need to calm down." Unser started. "Deputy Hale was the first officer on the scene tonight and had it not been for him, Jolene would have bled out on the street."

Hearing it put so bluntly gave Clay pause. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Clay squeezed his eyes tight. Looking up towards Hale, Clay suddenly held out his multi-ringed hand. Caught off guard, it took Hale a minute to comprehend that the SAMCRO leader wanted to shake his hand. With a clenched jaw, Hale reached out and took Clay's hand.

"Thank you." Clay said, looking Hale straight in the eye. The sincerity was clear on his face and Hale was moved by the emotion that was rolling off of Clay Morrow in waves. All his life, he had known Clay to be a badass outlaw biker who lived to thumb his nose at authority. He had no respect for it whatsoever. To see this formidable man nearly brought to his knees by the love he had for his daughter softened Hale's resolve to bust his and the MC's collective balls. At least until the worst was over.

"Your man can stay as long as you're okay with one of our deputies staying as well." Hale conceded. Clay nodded his head slightly and let go of Hale's hand.

"Is it okay if I go see my kid now?" He asked Deputy Parsons, who quickly stepped out of the way.

* * *

By no account could Clarence Morrow be classified a weak, soft man.

At sixteen, he had lied about his age and had joined the military. Always cocky and overconfident, being sent to Vietnam hadn't fazed him. As a Private First Class in 1967, he had become a sky soldier in the 173rd Airborne Brigade and participated in the only combat parachute jump during the Vietnam conflict known as "Operation Junction City." Later on, he went on to fight in the Iron Triangle in some of the bloodiest battles of the war, ending with the capture of Hill 875, a gruesome victory that left most of Clay's closest friends dead.

Before JT's untimely death and his accession to President of SAMCRO, Clay had proven himself to be an invaluable soldier for the Club. Having cut ties with his family back East, the MC was his only connection to humanity and he did everything and anything that was asked of him during his early years as a rank and file member in the name of brotherhood. He wasn't afraid to get bloody and had quickly earned his "Men of Mayhem" patch by serving a six-year stretch of hard labor for attempted manslaughter.

Clay Morrow was a hard man, but nothing he had ever seen or done with his own two hands could prepare him for the sight laid out before him as he entered his daughter's room in the ICU ward.

Clay had to close his eyes and take several deep breaths before he could make one leg move in front of the other. The room was deathly quiet with the exception of the heart monitor attached to Jolene, which was making a steady blip-blip sound. Quickly opening his eyes, Clay could no longer bear to hear the machine attached to a tube that had been shoved down her throat and that was apparently breathing for her. The mechanical wheezing as air was pushed and pulled out of her lungs reminded Clay that his little girl was incapable of breathing on her own and that machine, plus at least half a dozen others attached to her in one way or another, was what was keeping her alive for now.

With a shiver running down his spine that physically shook him as he walked, Clay approached Jolene lying completely still, her only movement the barely perceptible rising and falling of her chest as the machine continued pumping the breath of life into her. She looked small and fragile and her skin was as pale as the hospital sheets covering the bed. Clay was sure that the blanket that was pulled up to her chest was not enough to keep the chill off her as the room was kept at a temperature that was too cool to be comfortable for Jolene, even if she had been awake.

Clay smiled in spite of himself as he remembered a grade-school aged Jolene crawling onto him as he would lie on the couch to watch the evening news after dinner. She would snuggle against him, ready for bed in her pink Cinderella nightgown and beg her daddy to use his big hands to warm her tiny, cold as ice feet before her eight o'clock curfew. It was their nightly routine, at least whenever Clay was home and not out on Club business. He never told her that it might be a good idea to put on some socks so she wouldn't get cold. Instead, he would rub her little feet as she snuggled into the crook of his neck and before Dan Rather broke for his first commercial break, Jolene would be fast asleep. He'd cradle her in his arms as she slept until eight o'clock when he would carry her up to her room and tuck her in.

Running his hand ever-so gently over her dark curls, a stark contrast against her skin, Clay bowed his head and allowed himself to cry. He struggled to keep himself from sobbing as he let his tears fall without a sound. He had heard somewhere that people in comas, medically-induced or otherwise, could still hear what was going on around them. The last thing he wanted his baby girl to hear, if she could, was her daddy mourning for her. Clay decided if she could in fact hear, he was going to give her a piece of his mind, letting her know that defeat was not an option. If she wanted to live, she was going to have to fight.

Quickly swiping away at the tears streaking his face and wiping off the ones that had fallen onto his cut, Clay cleared his throat. Reaching under the light blanket, he found her dainty hand, so small and fragile in his gnarled, oversized mitt. He smiled to himself because, as he suspected, the room _was_ too cold for her. He'd bet his last dollar that her feet were blocks of ice, too. Bending slightly, he kissed her hand and took a deep breath.

"Hey, baby girl." He started, not at all surprised that his voice had cracked, but keenly aware that he could not let that happen again. Clearing his throat one more time, Clay continued. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, sweetheart. If I could, I would switch places with you in a heartbeat. Your doctor said you responded very well to the surgery, so I'm taking that to mean that the hard part is over, Jolene. Now, it's all up to you."

Clay stopped as he watched her face for any movement, any acknowledgment that she could hear him. What he wouldn't give to see her wide, seafoam green eyes fly open and hear her say that she was going to be alright. That she was going to fight to come through this.

"I've been one-percenter for more than two-thirds of my life and I've seen my share of tough sons of bitches, but you, baby girl, you take the cake. Underneath all that girly frou-frou shit, there's a tough as nails Harley-riding bitch that has refused to take 'no' or 'you can't do that shit' for an answer her whole life. You may look like your piece of shit egg donor, but you are Clay Morrow's daughter, _my_ daughter, through and through. You come from strong stock, Jolene. Shit, you were able to survive the first six years of your life under the most horrific of circumstances. You cannot let yourself go down like this. You need to fight to survive, sweetheart, and none of this bullshit about it being hard, either. You're a fighter, Jolene, even when I didn't want you to be. I'm sure that poor bastard you took a bat to in Lodi is still sucking mushy peas through a straw." Clay chuckled to himself. Although Clay knew how much Jolene loved Jax, at this moment he had no love for his stepson and couldn't bring himself to mention his name.

"You have to come back to us, Jolene. You have to fight and make it through this because I don't know what would happen to me without you. Selfish, right?" Clay smiled, bringing her hand up to his lips again. "Damn fucking right I'm being selfish, so do as you're told, for probably the first time in your life, and fight through this." He demanded.

Bending over her, Clay dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "I love you, baby girl." He whispered, before turning around and walking out of the room.

* * *

It was barely seven o'clock in the morning as a still-groggy Jax struggled to open his eyes. He knew that wherever he was, he wasn't alone because he was being poked and prodded and it was starting to piss him the fuck off. Using the hand attached to the arm attached to the shoulder that did _not_ hurt, Jax tried to rub the narcotic-induced sleep from his eyes. He hadn't slept this hard in a long time. He felt like he had been out for days and couldn't remember dreaming.

Looking to his left, Jax saw a woman dressed in scrubs checking his blood pressure. "What are you doing?" He asked abruptly, and then it hit him like a punch in the nuts. Looking down at the hospital gown some joker had dressed him in, Jax bolted straight up in his bed. It all came back to him in a nauseating wave of pictures flashing before his eyes. The blood, the pain, the agony. "Where is she?" Jax croaked, pretty sure he was in danger of spewing all over the nurse's pretty little pink and teal scrubs.

Turning slightly to the side, the nurse pointed behind her. "She's right here. Fast asleep."

Jax stared at the nurse with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw. She was fucking with him. Fighting the urge to push the nurse out of his way, Jax threw his bare feet over the side of the bed. Looking past the nurse, Jax found a slightly slumped Gemma fast asleep in an uncomfortable looking chair.

With flared nostrils, Jax turned to the nurse. "That's not who I meant. Where's Jolene Morrow?"

The nurse shook her head. "I don't know who you're talking about. I just started my shift about an hour ago."

"Get out." Jax said brusquely as he pulled off the blood pressure cuff and yanked the I.V. line from his arm.

"Mr. Teller, you can't do that—" The nurse started, but the words died in her mouth as Jax turned his menacing and capable-of-anything glare on her.

"Get out. I won't say it again." He threatened. Flipping closed his medical chart, the nurse quickly dropped it to hang from the foot of his bed and beat a hasty retreat out of the room. Placing his right hand on his left shoulder, Jax tested how much movement he was capable of without excruciating pain. Either the worse was over for him or he was on some street-quality killer meds because he was feeling almost no pain. Good, Jax thought to himself as he jumped out of bed.

Having seen the nurse practically run out of Jax's room, Opie cautiously entered and found Jax in the midst of throwing on the clean clothes that Gemma had one of the croweaters drop off last night and which he had found in a plastic bag by Gemma's feet.

"Hey, brother." Opie greeted, grateful to see his friend on his feet again, even though he knew it probably wasn't a good idea.

"Hey," Jax looked at Opie expectantly, but before he could ask, Gemma was awake and standing next to Opie.

"Jackson, you shouldn't be out of bed, baby." She said, trying to exert her authority as his mother, even though she knew she had lost that privilege the day he started talking.

"Where's Jolene?" Was his only response as he bore holes first into his mother and then his best friend with intensity in his eyes.

"She's in the ICU, Jax." Opie started and, before he could continue, Jax was beating a path out of his hospital room. "Wait." Opie grabbed his friend by the arm.

"Before you run up there," Gemma started, after swallowing the lump in her throat. "You should know that she survived surgery and made it through the night, but her doctors aren't optimistic about her recovery." Before Gemma could continue, Jax was tearing out of the room.

"What floor is ICU?" He barked at an orderly as he passed him on the way to the elevators.

"Third." Remembering Jax as one of the GSWs brought in last night that had nearly punched out another orderly that outweighed him by almost 100 pounds, the orderly called out after him, "Have you been discharged?"

"Yeah." Jax lied as the elevator doors closed on him before Gemma and Opie had the chance to catch up.

* * *

Clay had not slept at all. Refusing to leave the hospital, he alternated between sitting at Jolene's bedside and pacing the waiting room. With his brothers resistant to leaving his side, his Club sat vigil with him all night long as Clay waited for any updates from Jolene's caretakers, no matter how inconsequential. Now that it was morning, a few of his brothers had scattered in search of coffee and maybe something to eat, while the rest had gone to the Chapel to catch some Z's.

So far, Clay had learned that Jolene had made it through the night and was starting to show improvements in her lung function. Dr. Negron had assured him that this was a very good sign. The next sign the doctors were waiting for that would show she was heading in the right direction in terms of recovery was if they could get her to breathe on her own. They would attempt removing her from the ventilator, but that would not happen for at least another twelve hours.

It was shaping up to be a long day and Bobby tried to convince Clay to head to the Clubhouse for some shuteye, but Clay staunchly refused. Even though Tig had proven to be an SAA of epic proportions, having spent the entire night standing right outside Jolene's door, Clay refused to leave the hospital and his little girl unprotected. It wasn't just the Mayans Clay was determined to keep away from Jolene, but the very man that was at this moment making his way down the hall towards the waiting area.

Bobby jumped to his feet as he saw Jax approach and cautiously gave him a bro-hug as to not aggravate Jax's shoulder wound as the young man stepped into his arms. _At least one good thing seemed to be coming out of this whole mess_ , Bobby thought to himself as he smiled at Jax. Compared to the Jax he had witnessed last night, he seemed to be at least somewhat back to normal, even though the fear and barely-under-the-surface panic mirrored Bobby's as he looked him in the eye.

"How is she?" Jax asked, his voice a little worse for wear after all the screaming he had done the night before.

Bobby smiled. "She's alive, brother."

"Yeah," Clay said, as he lifted himself up from his seat. "No thanks to you."

Jax squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head slightly, as if to dislodge the words Clay had just spoken as they refused to register with his brain. For a moment, Jax was convinced he had lost the ability to understand English. Seeing the pure hatred smoldering in the older man's eyes bought Jax back to the reality of the situation and he smirked.

"You're blaming this on me." Jax stated as a matter-of-fact. As much as he wanted to knock Clay's teeth down his throat, Jax knew he was right. He had been blaming himself ever since he had come to on the street outside Floyd's and found the love of his life bleeding to death on the cold, hard ground.

Putting his hands on each of his brothers' shoulders, Bobby, always the voice of reason, started, "This is not the time nor the place for this. I'm sure Jax wants to see his old lady."

With his jaw clenched, Jax nodded. "Yeah, I do." He was about to make his way past Clay, when Clay reached out and roughly grabbed his arm.

"Well, you can't." Clay nearly growled.

Clenching his right fist at his side, Jax's nostrils flared. "You're gonna stop me?"

"I don't have to." Clay spit out bitterly. "There's an armed police officer outside her door with specific instructions to let only family and next of kin inside. And you're neither."

Jax's left eye was twitching as he tried to control his temper and his breathing as the air left his lungs in quick short, bursts. "I'm her old man."

Clay threw his head back and laughed without mirth. "Some old man you turned out to be. You take a bullet to the shoulder, you're up and about the next day. Your _old lady_ takes two to the chest and the odds that she'll get out of that bed are slim to none. I thought an old man was supposed to protect his woman, not use her as a shield."

Shocked by the hatefulness spewing out of Clay, Bobby's reaction time wasn't as quick as it would have been and before he could wedge himself between his President and VP, Jax threw a punch that knocked Clay clear across the room and over a row of chairs, taking a few down with him.

Operating on pure adrenaline, Clay jumped to his feet and lunged towards Jax who had no intention of backing off and charged toward Clay. In spite of the pain that was quickly returning to his wounded shoulder, Jax caught Clay with another right before the older man landed one in his midsection.

Down the hall, as the elevator doors opened, Opie broke out into a running sprint, leaving Gemma behind, and threw himself into the middle of the fray of flying fists. Along with Bobby, Opie tried to separate the two men that loved Jolene beyond all reason, but at this moment wanted the other dead.

The chaos in the waiting room of flying chairs and screams caught the attention of the personnel at the Nurses' Station behind the door into the ICU ward. Soon, several guards as well as a few of Unser's deputies flooded the waiting room and struggled to separate the two men. By the time they were able to pull them apart, Clay's left eye and bottom lip were already starting to swell. Pushing his hair away from his face, Gemma noticed that not only was Jax's nose bleeding, but the dressing on his wounded shoulder had bled through the white SAMCRO t-shirt he was wearing.

Pulling him to her side, Gemma tried to soothe her son, who was breathing hard and still glaring at Clay. "What the hell happened?" She asked Jax through clenched teeth, her nerves already frayed.

One of the hospital guards, a hulking beast by the name of Hank, who was at least seven feet tall if he was an inch, was all too familiar with the stress that plagued those who had loved ones in the ICU. Spats between family members could quickly escalate into all-out bar brawls in the blink of an eye. Knowing this, he tried to defuse the situation without having to throw anyone out.

"I know what ya'll are going through, but if you can't sit in this room and control the need to pummel the shit out of each other, I'm gonna have to ask one or both of you to leave." Hank threatened.

"Make him leave. Now." Clay nodded his chin towards Jax, who was fighting the urge to lunge for him again. "He's not family and I want him nowhere near my daughter."

"Clay," Bobby started, but Clay quickly turned on him as well.

"You're not family either. You want me to ban you, too?" He threatened.

Bobby felt as if he'd been stabbed in the heart. Turning away from his old friend in disgust, Bobby approached Jax and grabbed his arm. "Come on, brother. We need to get you patched up again." He tried pulling Jax along with him, but Jax resisted.

"Clay," Jax started, his voice raw with emotion. "Please don't do this, bro."

Looking at Jax with pure loathing and disdain, Clay turned and walked away. "I'm gonna go sit with my daughter."

* * *

It was early afternoon when word reached Clay that the Tacoma and Rogue River charters had arrived in Charming and had set up base camp at the T-M lot. In the Chapel, Clay greeted the Tacoma charter's SAA Kozik and Tacoma's resident expert on all things bloody and painful, Happy. Juice, Chibs, and Kyle arrived shortly thereafter to report their findings regarding witnesses to the actual shooting and the Mayan situation.

"What did Floyd have to say?" Clay chewed on an unlit cigar as he sat back in the front pew.

"Not much, brutha." Chibs replied.

"Yeah, like most of the people we talked to last night and this morning, Floyd hit the floor as soon as he heard gunshots. He wouldn't be able to identify a shooter, but he did say that there were two on the scene. The shooter and the getaway driver." Juice explained.

"Did you get a description of the cage they were riding?" Clay asked.

Chibs shook his head ominously. "No cage, brutha. The getaway vehicle was a bike," He started. "With ape hangers."

"Son of a bitch!" Clay bellowed, jumping out of his seat and throwing his cigar across the chapel, followed by a flower arrangement that had been placed on a pedestal by the small altar.

Kyle was shaking his head. "I hate to be the one to say it, but I told you this would happen, Clay. Blowing up that Mayan truck yard was a bad call. This was obviously them retaliating." Kyle said as Clay glared a hole through his face.

The last thing he wanted to do was give Kyle's statement any credence, but Juice added, "According to LaRoy, the word on the street is that the Mayans are in total lockdown."

Clay was shaking his head. "It doesn't make sense. Up until last night, it was just a pissing contest."

"Don't forget Big Otto. Didn't he kill one of their guys in the joint?" Kozik asked.

"Going after Big Otto was strategic. Hell, I would have done the same thing if one of Alvarez's top-ranking guys was a sitting duck in Gen Pop. With Otto taking out the guy that attacked him, that blood feud was resolved." Clay explained.

"The shooter," Happy started. "Didn't he pump two into an old lady?"

Clay nodded somberly. "Jax's old lady. My kid."

"Going after old ladies doesn't sound like business. Sounds personal." Happy commented.

Clay had been turning the same thought over and over in his head since his confrontation with Jax this morning, only to push it away. Last thing he wanted to do right now was to consult on anything with his VP.

"I agree. This could be Alvarez's way of sending me a message." Clay started. "As of right now, brothers, all signs are pointing North to Oakland, so we are going to operate on the assumption that it was Mayan retaliation. Kozik, set up a meeting with Alvarez, take Happy, Kyle, and Chibs with you. Tell him I'm asking, father-to-father, for a cease-fire, at least until my kid comes out of this, if at all. It buys me some time to call for reinforcements from Reno and Tucson." Looking at the small group gathered before him, Clay shook his head and announced his sinister prophecy, "I'm going to wipe the fuckin' Mayans off the face of the earth."

Just as they were about the leave the Chapel, with Clay planning on sitting with Jolene again, Gemma burst through the Chapel doors.

With tears streaming down her face, Gemma cried, "Jolene's coding again!"


	20. Blow Back

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy** **.**

* * *

It had been a little over two weeks since the shooting and Jolene had survived her last cardiac arrest, but had needed a second surgery to repair a small leak in her implant valve. In order to give her damaged heart a fighting chance of healing itself, Dr. Negron decided that it would be best to keep her in a medically-induced coma. Although no one ever said it out loud, Clay could tell—or at least he was convinced he could tell—that those keeping him company through this dark time were just waiting for her to die.

Except for Jax.

In spite of Clay following through on his threat to ban Jax from the ICU, thereby forcing the last image he had of Jolene to be of her bloody and dying on the street, Jax refused to accept living in a world without her as an option. He couldn't.

Although Clay continued to ignore his stepson, Jax could not be budged from the waiting room outside the ICU. Day in and day out, he would sit silently, sometimes just him and Clay and sometimes only a few seats away from each other, and wait for any word on her condition.

Finally, after days of watching Jax's suffering mirror his own, Clay relented. Dr. Negron had confirmed that, even though she was unresponsive, Jolene could still hear and that having loved ones speak to her may help her healing process. Clay could only hope that the love Jolene had for Jax died on the street outside Floyd's that horrible night, but Clay knew he was only kidding himself. If Jolene loved anyone enough to fight for her own survival, he knew that person was Jax.

Kozik and Happy, along with several other brothers, had met with Alvarez soon after the shooting and a cease fire with the Mayans was currently in effect. According to Kozik, although Alvarez did not deny ordering the hit on Big Otto in retaliation for the Sons not selling them guns or paying them a vig, the attack was only meant to wound Otto, not kill him. He vehemently denied ordering the hit on Jax and insisted that, like the Sons, the Mayans did not hurt women and at the moment, Clay decided that non-action would be the best action until they could get confirmation that Alvarez was indeed behind the hit. For the first time in the history of the Sons, a woman was ultimately in control of whether or not the Sons would violate a cease fire. How hard they hit and how bloody it would get was a non-issue. It was a given.

Whether Jolene lived or died, those responsible had already forfeited their lives. They just didn't know it yet.

* * *

"Somebody go get Jax!" Gemma ran out into the hallway where nearly the entire Club sat waiting, keeping vigil as they have for the past two-plus weeks. Grim faces greeted her as they expected to hear the worst. "She's awake and calling for him!"

The ones that were sitting jumped to their feet, as all celebrated the good news with backslapping hugs and cheers.

"Where is he?" Bobby asked, not caring that he had lost the battle to contain the tears streaming down his face.

"Chapel!" Chibs called out.

"At the Clubhouse?" Juice questioned skeptically.

"No, you idiot! Downstairs." Tig reprimanded, slapping Juice on the back of the head.

"I'll go." Chibs volunteered, bypassing the elevators and running for the stairs.

For the past week, when not sitting by Jolene's bedside, holding her hand and re-learning how to pray, Jax sat alone in St. Thomas' small chapel. Although grief and guilt were eating him alive, it was all he had left and the last thing he wanted was to be comforted by the false promises his brothers kept trying to feed him that everything would be okay. In the last two weeks, Jolene had coded twice and had been rushed back to the operating room after she'd gone into cardiac arrest. Now, lying in her private room in the ICU, looking as pale and ghostly as she had the day she'd been shot, her doctors were keeping her in a medically-induced coma. They hoped that by doing so it would relieve some of the strain that her fight for survival was putting on her damaged heart.

Jax knew to expect the worst at any given moment. During the first days of this living nightmare, before Clay had relented and had finally given him permission to see her, Jax had overheard many hushed conversations in the halls of St. Thomas. While the doctors expressed restrained optimism when speaking with Clay, Jax knew that those charged with her day-to-day care, unaware that he knew exactly who they were talking about, usually expressed surprise that she had lasted this long. Having never witnessed a positive outcome with this type of injury, they surmised that maybe her youth and good health prior to the incident had something to do with it. But they still held little hope and thought it was a shame that someone so young and so beautiful would have her life snatched away in such a brutal fashion.

Sleeping only when exhausted, and usually in the hospital's chapel, Jax relived in his dreams the events of that awful day, except that, in his version, Jolene had not yet set foot outside the Stop-N-Shop when the shooter's bullets had reached their intended target and he was dead. Jax couldn't help but cry tears of frustration and of utter disappointment each time he awoke from those fevered dreams and found that he was still alive and well.

Although Gemma begged and pleaded with him to take better care of himself, Jax was prepared to continue his routine of praying by his old lady's bedside and negotiating and fighting with God while sitting in the chapel. He'd do this for as long as it took for Jolene to come back to him, refusing to think about what he'd do with himself if that day never came. Jax couldn't remember the last time he'd showered, afraid that she'd slip away from him while he was away taking care of the unimportant shit like bathing and eating.

"Jackie Boy!" Chibs burst into the chapel, throwing the doors open hard enough to send them crashing into the walls.

Jax jumped up from his usual spot in the front pew, his eyes wild and his heart in his throat, convinced his friend was here to tell him that she was finally gone.

"She's awake, brutha!" Chibs was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, grinning so hard and large it was hurting his face. "And our 'lil luvvie is calling for her ol' man!"

Jax was running down the hall and up the stairs before the full impact of what Chibs had just said set in. He rounded the corner and was met by a sea of elation as his brothers cheered when they saw him. Gemma grabbed him by the shoulder with one hand and brushed his unruly and unkempt hair out of his face with the other.

"She's alive, baby." Gemma beamed up at him. "She's awake and breathing on her own."

"I wanna see her. Can I see her?" Jax was keeping a tight rein on his emotions until he saw with his own eyes that what he was hearing was true.

"Go, go!" Gemma was pushing him towards the door to the ICU as one of the nurses was coming out to check on what was causing such a ruckus. She looked unfamiliar to Jax, her face creased by the seriousness that her job had etched into her skin.

"You can't go in there." She stopped Jax's progression by putting her hand on his chest to hold him back.

Jax's jaw clenched as he fought the urge to lay a hand on a woman in anger for the first time in his life. "I need to see Jolene Morrow."

"I'm sorry," She started and for a moment it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. "The patient is agitated and we are waiting on Dr. Negron to give the okay to sedate her again."

"No!" Jax yelled, lunging for either the nurse or the door, but either way being physically restrained by not one but three of his brothers.

Gemma moved to stand between her son and the nurse. "She's agitated because she wants to see Jax?"

The nurse nodded. "Yes. Does anyone know where to find him?"

"He's right here, damn it!" Gemma grabbed Jax by the arm and pulled him towards the door.

Moving out of the way, the nurse threw open the door. "Go!" She admonished, spurring Jax to run through the door, past the Nurses' Station, and down the hall towards her room.

Clay was pacing outside her door, having been kicked out after he'd been unable to convince Jolene that Jax was indeed alive and somewhere in the hospital. For the first time in over two weeks, Clay's eyes brightened at the sight of Jax barreling down the corridor towards him.

"Get in there, son, before they put her back to sleep." He ordered, as he patted Jax on the back.

Taking a deep breath, Jax pushed the door open, only to be stopped again, this time by a male nurse.

"I'm Jax." He blurted before the nurse could tell him to get the fuck out. He could hear Jolene's soft cries as two other nurses administered to her, one reading off her vitals and marking them on a chart, while the other, younger one tried to console her into calming down.

"You don't understand," Jolene cried, her voice full of grief and hoarse from the tubes that had been pushed down her throat in order to help her breathe and which had only recently been removed. "He's gone and they keep lying to me, telling me he's not."

"Go, man." The male nurse whispered, urging him forward.

"Darlin'," Jax cautiously crossed the room, running his hands through his hair and tucking it behind his ears. He knew he looked like shit. "I'm right here." He said, his voice sounding foreign to his own ears and shakier than he would have liked.

Jolene's head whipped towards the sound of his voice, her hand with the I.V. line attached flying to her mouth as their eyes met for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

"Jax?" She reached for him, unable to believe he was standing right in front of her, alive and well, just like her father had promised.

Moving quickly to her side, Jax grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight, bending to kiss it softly before holding it to his face as he said a silent prayer of thanks. Running her hand through the beard that had overtaken his handsome face, Jolene snaked her arm around his neck and pulled him towards her.

Afraid that he might hurt her, Jax gently kissed her fluttering eyelids one by one, tasting the salt of the tears that clung to her eyelashes, but that had stopped flowing the moment she had laid eyes on him. Jax looked to the younger nurse, who, seeing the fearful desire to wrap his arms around Jolene in his eyes, pressed the button raising the top half of the bed until Jolene was in a near sitting position and nodded her consent.

Carefully wrapping his arms around her, Jolene clung to his shoulders as she hugged him to her. Her face buried in his neck, she starting crying again.

"Shhh," He gently pulled away, kissing her lips. "Why are you crying on the happiest day of my life? I look bad and smell even worse, but I thought you'd be happy to see me anyway." He teased.

"I thought you were dead." She whispered and Jax's heart broke for her because he knew exactly what that gut-wrenching devastation felt like. It had been his one and only true companion these last two weeks after it had burrowed itself deep into the pit of his stomach. It was gone now, chased away by those beautifully wide seafoam green eyes currently searching his face and drinking him in.

Jax brought her hand to his chest, placing it over his rapidly beating heart. "Feel that?" He asked and Jolene nodded, wiping away tears with her other hand. "I'm alive and here and I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart."

"Promise?" Jolene's mouth curled into a half smile.

"I swear."

* * *

Jolene's private room in the ICU ward was moderately-sized, with barely enough room for Jax, Clay and Gemma. It didn't make it any less crowded when Bobby and Tig, having slipped past the eagle eyes at the Nurses' Station, creeped into Jolene's room, as well.

Holding Jolene's hand in his, Jax was lying next to her on the narrow hospital bed with her head cradled against his good shoulder. All Jax wanted to do was hold his old lady in his arms and celebrate her being alive. He wanted the damn world to go away until he could convince himself that he wasn't dreaming and that she was actually here to stay. But now that Jolene was conscious, it was imperative that he stop thinking like her old man, and start acting like SAMCRO's VP.

Jax hated having to question Jolene now, less than twelve hours after she had come out of a coma, but Clay had a point. They needed to get as much information as possible from the only eyewitness to the attack. Before moving forward with their plan to eradicate Alvarez and his crew from the face of the earth, they needed confirmation that the attempt on SAMCRO's VP and his old lady was a Mayan-orchestrated hit. With only family currently allowed to see her, the Club could stonewall Hale for only so long before he demanded the opportunity to question her. They needed to prevent that from happening until they had the identity of the shooter and had exacted their own brand of outlaw justice.

Now that his daughter was awake and out of harm's way, Clay too was ready to refocus his energies on the matter at hand. "Baby girl," Clay started. "We need your help."

Jolene nodded soberly. The moment her dad and Jax had entered her room, she realized that there were questions that needed asking, as well as answers that needed to be given. The trouble was, she wasn't sure if she could provide them. She looked up at Jax.

"Darlin'," Jax said, as he tenderly brushed his lips against her temple. "We need to know everything that you can remember about the shooting. We need as much detail on the shooter as possible so that we can track him down. Are you up for telling us what you remember?"

Jolene nodded as she took a deep breath which came out as a shudder. She really didn't want to think about that horrible day, but she knew that the Club would want—need—retaliation and in truth, so did she. _They tried to take the life of my old_ man, she thought angrily. There had to be payback.

Jolene cleared her throat and began to take her family through the events leading up until the moment when she had left Murphy's Stop-N-Shop. The closer Jolene got to the actual shooting, the more she started to feel light-headed and panicky.

"I started walking across the street with the stuff I had bought. I saw Jax, bending down by the bike going through one of the saddle bags, when…when…" Suddenly, Jolene pushed herself up into a sitting position and started gasping for air. "I, I can't, can't remember—"

At that point, the machine beside Jolene's hospital bed that monitored her heart started shrilling loudly. The door to the room burst open and a nurse and two big orderlies ran inside. "Everybody out. Right now!" Ordered the nurse as she ran over to her bedside. "Jolene, dear, I need you to try to breathe slowly and calmly, in and out." She directed as she checked the machine for Jolene's oxygen levels.

Unable to bear witness to his daughter struggling to breathe, Clay bolted from the room, quickly followed by Bobby and Tig. Gemma tried to coax a terrified Jax out of the room, but he was refusing to leave Jolene's side.

The larger of the two orderlies went to stand between Jax and the bed and for a moment Gemma was afraid that her son was going to throw a punch. "I know you're worried, man," The orderly started. "But you're no help to her if you're in the way. If you really care about your girl, go wait outside."

Just then, Dr. Negron rushed into the room, followed by two other nurses and a crash cart. Pushing past Gemma and Jax, the usually even-tempered surgeon, issued a brusque order, "Get the hell out. Now!"

* * *

Both Jax and Clay were pacing the hall outside Jolene's room. Jax was pissed and hating himself. Turning to Clay, he said heatedly, "I told you questioning her so soon was a mistake."

"Don't you think I know that?" Clay barked back at him. "I didn't want to do it either, but we needed the information. Let's just hope that she's okay."

Gemma, shaking her head, put her arms on Clay's shoulders. "Baby, you and Jax are doing the best you can and Jolene knows that. She wants to help, I can tell. She knows something, but it's almost like she can't bring herself to remember."

Tig walked over to Gemma and Clay. "I ain't a shrink, but I think Jolene may be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder." Tig shook his head grimly. "During my stint in the Marines, I saw some really shitty shit, so did a lot of guys serving with me. If you can't find a way to deal with it, sometimes in order to protect itself, the mind just blocks it out, almost like it never happened. I'm thinking the shock of seeing Jax get shot in the back was too much for her to deal with and, if that's what's going on, doll face may never remember."

"Never?" Clay asked disbelievingly and even though it wouldn't help SAMCRO track down the shooter, Jax knew he would be grateful if that were true. He never wanted to see Jolene go through shit like he'd just witnessed ever again.

"It's possible. Then again, something could happen to trigger her memory, but from what I saw back there," Tig nodded towards Jolene's room. "Trying to jog her memory might cause more harm than good if we keep at her."

Tig stopped speaking as the door to Jolene's room opened and Dr. Negron appeared and walked over to address them.

"Doc, how's my daughter?" asked Clay.

"She's all right—for now." The doctor replied severely.

"What the hell does that mean?" Bobby asked, a bit gruff.

"It means that as long as Jolene is kept quiet and sedate, she will continue to make progress," Dr. Negron countered. "But all of that stops the moment she's exposed to any kind of stress, especially the kind of stress that can be triggered by getting her to relive the incident that put her here in the first place. I have to insist that you stop questioning Jolene any further regarding the shooting."

As Clay's eyebrow rose, Dr. Negron nodded. "Jolene didn't want to tell me, but I've been told that I'm very persuasive." He made direct eye contact with all those surrounding him. "I usually manage to get my way around here and as her doctor, I am well within my rights to ban all of you from further contact with my patient until further notice. That being said, fortunately, this episode was not related to her condition. I believe that in this instance, Jolene suffered a panic attack, a symptom of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. If that is the case, trying to get her to remember so soon after regaining consciousness can have a negative and, quite possibly, permanent damaging effect on her recovery process. I'm a man of science, Mr. Morrow, but even I have to admit that it's nothing short of a miracle that she is even able to speak. She's awake, but she's not out of the woods yet. If you want your daughter to recover, I must insist that the subject of the shooting be a non-issue, not to be brought up by anyone, not even the authorities. I cannot have my patient's life placed in further jeopardy. Do we have an understanding?"

Clay nodded soberly. "We do, Doc."

"And I have your word on that?"

"Absolutely." Clay stretched out his hand and the doctor took it. "You saved Jolene's life. I—we," Clay said as he looked at Jax. "Won't do anything to put it at risk again."

"Good," replied the doctor. "And please, no more than two visitors in her room at a time. Right now, what she needs the most is to rest peacefully, but knowing how much she loves her family, I wouldn't want to deny her that pleasure."

"Doc," Jax approached, with his hands shoved into the pocket of his jeans. "You've done so much already, I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am, but can you do us another favor?"

Clay narrowed his eyes at Jax as Dr. Negron faced him, his shoulders back and his back straight. "Depends on what it is."

"We have reason to believe that Jolene may still be in danger." Jax started. "The cops still don't have a suspect in custody and—"

"And you want me to keep Jolene's miraculous recovery from going public." Dr. Negron finished Jax's thought.

Jax nodded solemnly. "No one outside this group, with the exception of those sent to guard her, should know, and we'll make sure that they won't breathe a word to anyone as well."

"Mr. Teller, rest assured, Jolene's well-being is what is important right now. I will make sure that there is a permanent gag order in place amongst the staff and hospital administrators until further notice."

"Thanks, Doc." Jax offered his hand, which Dr. Negron shook vigorously, satisfied that Jolene's family had her best interest at heart.

Dr. Negron turned to walk away, but then swung back to face Clay. "I've seen bigger, stronger men in lesser circumstances fold like a deck of cards. She's something else. You should be very proud of your daughter."

Clay smiled, a hint of pride shining in his eyes. "I am."

* * *

The next couple of days had people, especially the staff, asking if what they were witnessing was indeed a miracle. Not twelve hours after opening her eyes for the first time in over two weeks in a coma, with machines breathing for her, Jolene's condition was upgraded from critical to stable. Forty-eight hours after being taken off the critical list, Dr. Negron had discharged her from ICU, joking that he needed her bed for someone who was actually sick, and had her moved to a private room on the second floor.

By afternoon that same day, after nagging the nurses mercilessly, Jolene had finally convinced her doctor to remove her catheter so she could pee like a normal person. Soon after, adamantly refusing a bed pan, she took her first tentative steps to use the john in her room, while clinging to Gemma and under the watchful eyes of Jax and her father.

As Jolene came out of the bathroom, Jax gently picked her up and settled her back into her bed.

"I never thought it would feel so good to go potty by myself." Jolene declared as she lay back in her bed sitting in an upright position.

"Well, darlin', you didn't exactly go alone." Jax teased as he sat on the edge of her bed.

Smiling, Jolene grabbed him by his t-shirt and pulled him towards her. "Come here." She whispered against his mouth with Jax's hands automatically burying themselves in her hair as he kissed her.

Gemma cleared her throat as she saw Clay shift uncomfortably. Reluctantly pulling apart, Jolene mouthed "I love you", with Jax mouthing back "I love you more."

Before Gemma could come up with a reason to get Clay out of the room, Clay spoke up. "Me and Gem, we're gonna head off to the cafeteria for some lunch. Can we get you anything, baby girl?" He offered.

Taking both of Jax's hands into hers, Jolene smiled as she shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm good. I have everything I need."

After dropping a kiss on her head, Clay started out the door, but stopped as he remembered something. Reaching into the pocket of his cut, he pulled out a handful of jewelry and handed it to Jax.

"Here, maybe you can help her out with some of this stuff." He said, as Gemma, noticing the engagement ring, clasped her hands together and smiled. "Those are some peculiar-looking earrings." Clay said referring to a pair of titanium bars. "I've never seen you wear those before."

Jax fought to keep Clay from noticing the knowing smile on his face as Jolene chuckled.

"That's 'cause they're not earrings, Dad," Jolene started as Jax gave her a wide-eyed look that screamed, _please don't_. "Those are nipple piercings."

"Oh, Jesus Christ, Jolene!" Clay ran his hand over his face. "Couldn't you just let me go on thinking those were earrings? Ignorance _is_ bliss, you know." He said as he headed to the door.

"I love you, Daddy." Jolene smiled prettily.

"Yeah, that love's gonna be the death of me." Clay muttered as he left the room.

"You are definitely feeling better, darlin'," Jax smiled. "Cuz you're back to torturing your old man."

"I just can't believe he didn't know what they were." Jolene laughed, throwing herself against her pillow.

"Well, if you are gonna help her put those back on," Gemma started. "Behave yourselves. Wouldn't want her heart monitor going berserk." She dropped a kiss first on Jolene, then Jax. "We'll be back later. Give you two some alone-time."

"Thanks, Mom." Jax winked at her before Gemma left the room.

"Wanna put 'em in for me?" Jolene waggled her eyebrows at Jax.

"I'd love to, but Gemma's got a point. Don't know if I can trust myself to behave." Jax flashed her a sexy grin. "But I will help you with this, if you still want it." He held up her engagement ring.

"Of course I do, baby. Why would you say that?" Jolene held out her hand and watched as Jax slowly slipped the ring back onto her finger. Leaning towards her, Jax kissed her hard as Jolene wrapped her arms around his neck.

He didn't know the details of the shooting, only Jolene knew for sure what had happened that night, but Jax was willing to bet that Jolene had not hesitated to throw herself into the line of fire. He also knew that she had probably saved his life by doing so and that was a debt he would never be able to repay.

Pulling away slightly, Jax pressed his forehead to hers. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't made it, Jolene." Jax started, but Jolene stopped him with a longer, deeper kiss.

With her hands buried in his hair, Jolene whispered against his lips between kisses, "You'll never have to find out, baby because I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

By her fifth full day out of the ICU, Jolene was teasing Jax to the brink of sexual frustration after, with the noblest of intentions, he had volunteered to give her a sponge bath while Gemma was out running some errands for the Club. After struggling to pull a clean nightgown over her head, Jolene was now kissing Jax with all the pent up passion of a seaman on shore leave as he tried to thread her I.V. bag through the sleeve.

"Jo," Jax nearly moaned as she peppered his clean-shaven neck with kisses while running her hands over his rock hard abs under his long-sleeved t-shirt. "You're killing me here."

"I've missed you." Jolene pouted, stroking the hair on his face, newly-trimmed into the goatee she loved.

"You haven't had the chance to miss me yet, darlin'," Jax smiled. "I've barely left your side these past couple of weeks."

Running her hand over the crotch of his jeans, Jolene flashed him a wicked grin. "That's not what I mean." She seemed to have eight pairs of hands.

It never took much for Jolene to get Jax standing at attention and, as was always the case, he was helpless in fighting it now as well, but she needed to stop.

"Whoa!" Jax nearly jumped back a step as Jolene made direct contact with just how helpless he really was. "Jolene, you just got out of ICU, darlin'. You may have bullied the staff into letting you get away with certain shit, but I am pretty sure your doctor hasn't cleared you for sex yet."

Deflated, Jolene melted in his arms. Jax kissed the top of her head as he hugged her to his chest. He would have been relieved that she had given up on teasing him if not for the fact that he was destined for a case of aching balls later on.

"I wanna go home, Jax. When am I getting out of here?" Jolene asked as Jax gently helped her get back under the covers.

"I don't know, darlin'." Jax sat on the side of her bed, intertwining the fingers of one of her hands with his, palm-to-palm.

After the dressing down they had received courtesy of Dr. Negron, the Club had decided that certain issues would not be discussed with her just yet, like the fact the MC had been in lockdown since the shooting and that with the shooter still at large, there was always the threat that her life was still in danger. She was eager to go home, but for the time being, St. Thomas was quite possibly the safest place for her to be.

Jolene knew she was the missing link that could bring together the events of the botched hit and that without her information, the Club basically had their hands tied. All Intel they had gathered had been based on pure conjecture and educated guesses. Because of that, SAMCRO was hesitant to move this blood feud forward without positive confirmation that the Mayans were indeed involved, but retaliation needed to happen and quick or the Club would come across as soft. Vengeance was just the way of the world they lived in, the MC world. No misdeed or infraction went unpunished, no matter how minute, and now that she was awake and improving, they couldn't put it off much longer.

"So what happens now that I'm awake and by all accounts, on my way to a full recovery?" Jolene asked. Like Gemma, Jolene was a savvy old lady and Jax knew that she wasn't going to accept a bullshit answer formulated to placate her either. In spite of what her surgeon had said, Dr. Negron didn't know Jolene. Jax knew that the love and loyalty she felt towards the Club was eating her up inside because she couldn't give them the information they needed.

"All Club business was put on hold for the last couple of weeks, darlin'." Jax started. "Nothing was more important than waiting for you to pull through. We're out there now gathering as much Intel as possible, but the trail's gone cold and, without another eyewitness, we're getting nowhere with the Mayans." Jax started. "But you don't need to worry about any of it. You know what Dr. Negron said about pushing yourself to remember. It's not worth it, darlin'. The last thing I want is for any of this to have a negative effect on you. Don't think about it and don't try to force yourself to remember. Maybe, once the shock of this whole ordeal has receded, you'll remember, and if you don't, so what. Until then, discussing it is off the table."

Jolene sighed and nodded her agreement. Since leaving the ICU, Jolene had been having trouble sleeping. Every time she closed her eyes, she relived the day of the failed hit on Jax as if she was seeing it through a lens. But each time she tried to focus on the face of the shooter, everything faded to black. Maybe discussing what Intel the Club had would help jog her memory.

"The Club still think it was the Mayans?" Jolene asked.

Jax nodded. "That's the only trail we have to follow. Unser's afraid this'll turn into a replay of Bloody '92, and I have absolutely no fucking problem with that. Kozik and Happy sat down with the Mayans the day after the shooting, and I never thought of Alvarez as a coward, but he's refusing to cop to it. He admitted to giving the word to hit Otto, but he claimed that it was meant only as a negotiating tactic to try and force the Sons to do business with the Mayans. But he brought up another incident that he thinks we were involved in that had damaged his H business and which gives them a motive for retaliation. Kozik assured him that SAMCRO had nothing to do with it." Jax explained, referring to the destruction of the Mayan truck yard that Jolene knew nothing about.

Seeing Jax's crooked smile, Jolene said, "We didn't, huh? I'm not buying it, Jax." At his less-than-innocent look, Jolene smiled cheerfully. "You have to tell me. I'm naked, so the full disclosure rule still applies."

Jax grinned. "Uh, you're not naked, darlin'. You have a hospital gown on."

"I'm totally naked underneath, though. I can take it off if you want, babe, but somebody's bound to walk in on us." Jolene argued, prepared to get naked if she had to.

Jax thought that it was a fine line, but she did look on the verge of taking off her gown, so he gave in. "Well, maybe we did have a little something to do with it, but they can't prove shit. Regardless of any past beefs, this tit-for-tat bullshit went too far and as far as I'm concerned, after what happened to you, darlin', spilling the blood of the one who ordered the hit is the only acceptable payback. Unfortunately, until we can get direct confirmation, Clay won't move ahead with retaliation and, speaking as his VP and not your old man, I have to agree that he's right—for now."

* * *

Jolene was tossing and turning in her small hospital bed. Her sweat covered body was cold and clammy as she again relived the horror of the shooting in her day-mare.

_Through blurry eyes, Jolene saw a figure step into her line of sight. Rapidly blinking the fog away, Jolene wanted to cry when she realized it wasn't her Jax, but the shooter that was standing over her. With half-hooded eyes, she stared at him, her mind racing as she fought not to lose consciousness before she had the chance to register his face in her mind's eye._

A scream tore out of Jolene's throat as her body jerked its way out of the horrible dream. _Oh, God! Oh my God!_ , Jolene thought in stark wonderment. _It was him. HIM!_

The door crashed open as Tig and Opie ran into her room with a nurse hot on their heels. "Jolene, are you all right?"

Wiping the sweat from her brow with a shaky hand, Jolene replied "I'm okay. I just had a really bad dream. Really," she said to the nurse. "I'm okay, but I'm kind of thirsty."

The nurse walked over to the side table and poured her a glass of water from the pitcher. Giving the glass to Jolene who took it with a trembling hand, she straightened the tangled bed sheets and fluffed the pillows.

"Do you need anything else?"

Jolene shook her head. "No, no. Thank you. I'll be fine." She said. "I just need a moment with my friends." The nurse nodded and exited the room.

Opie and Tig approached Jolene's bedside. "What's going on, Jo?" Opie asked. "You scared the living shit out of me."

"You need to get Jax and Dad here, right away." Jolene replied anxiously.

"You mean it was more than just a bad dream, doll face?" Tig asked, his shoulders tense and alert for trouble.

Jolene nodded. "I know who the shooter is." She said grimly. "I remember who the low-life, scum-sucking son of a bitch is."

* * *

"It was Whistler!"

As Jolene's statement reverberated around the room, there were four shocked faces staring back at her.

"Baby," Jax said, biting his lip. "You sure about this? It could've been just a bad dream."

"No, Jax, it wasn't just a bad dream. I saw his face." Jolene started, her eyes darkening as she relived the moment in her mind. "He shot you, shot me, and was about to shoot me again in the head. He would have, too. He pulled the trigger, but his gun jammed." Jolene involuntarily shivered. "He was enjoying it. The look on his face, that face is one I will never forget, no matter how hard I try."

Jax approached the bed and wrapped his arms around her slight frame, with Jolene clinging to him for dear life. She wanted to cry, not because she was scared, but because she had seen Whistler shoot Jax in the back as if she had relived the whole experience all over again.

"The Nords?" Opie marveled. He knew dealing with Darby would end up blowing back on the Club. The man was a snake, but Opie didn't think he was insane too. "Why the fuck would they shit on their deal with us?"

Shaking his head, Jax replied grimly, "Not the _Nords_ , Ope—Whistler. This was personal. This was him getting back at me for neutering the prick."

Tig nodded. "With everybody knowing about our beef with the Mayans, he probably figured that they would be blamed for the hit and decided to take a little revenge."

Seeing the panic in Jolene's eyes, Jax tried to smile. "I don't want you to worry, darlin', a'ight?" Holding his face gently in one hand, she nodded soberly before Jax pressed a kiss against her forehead. Turning, Jax made eye contact with Clay, urging him to say something.

"That's right, baby girl." Clay nodded. "We have this situation under control and we will deal with it." He said, his steely blue eyes gleaming with what could only be described as bloodlust.

Clay turned to Tig. "Get on the horn to everyone. Meeting back at the Clubhouse in thirty."

"On it." Tig replied as he pulled out his pre-pay and headed to the other side of the room.

Moving away from Jolene, Jax approached Clay. "Looks like we're going hunting, son." Clay said, as he gripped the shoulder of Jax's cut.

With flared nostrils, Jax's eyes glinted menacingly as he pulled out his KA-BAR.

"Damn right!"


	21. Gone Huntin'

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy** **.**

* * *

The mood in the Clubhouse was restless and fairly noisy, and there was a strong undercurrent of tension in the air. The Main Room was filled with an assortment of visiting members from the Tacoma, Rogue River, Tucson, and Reno charters. Throw into the mix various prospects, hang-arounds, sweetbutts, croweaters, and old ladies and you had a large crowd of people who needed places to sleep and food to eat while under lockdown at the T-M compound.

Donna sighed wearily as she emptied another load of dishes from the dishwasher in the Clubhouse kitchen and directed Gigi, one of the croweaters, to put in the final load while she took a break.

The circumstance of being in a lockdown was not unfamiliar to Donna, but never had she been in one for so long and never had she been so terrified at the possible outcome.

When Piney showed up with Mary in tow and told her to pack herself and the kids up because SAMCRO was going into lockdown, she hadn't questioned it. Finding out afterward about the attack that had put her BFF at death's door was frightening and not being able to keep vigil at the hospital had been difficult to bear. Opie had refused to allow her to leave the safety and protection of the compound. Despite Opie's orders, Donna had tried to sneak out to the hospital, only to be busted by Opie himself. His anger had been righteous, but she was still determined to go.

It was only when Opie told her that he couldn't bear it if anything happened to her that Donna relented and stayed put. When Jo had finally come out of the coma, Donna finally broke down, sobbing as Opie took her into his arms to comfort her.

With Gemma needed at the hospital, Donna was expected to hold down the fort, to organize the Clubhouse, and prepare for the out-of-town members who would be riding in to assist the mother charter in what would obviously be an epic retaliation for the attempted murder of SAMCRO's VP and his old lady.

Donna had organized the rest of the old ladies, croweaters, and sweetbutts to care for the needs of the visiting charter members with Luann's help. Donna was really surprised at how Luann jumped in to lend a helping hand. After all, Luann was not known for her willingness to help out in the kitchen or with anything Club-related, and Gemma would be shocked to see this side of her, but Luann loved Jolene like a daughter. She had been devastated when she got the news and was even more so when she had to deliver the news to Otto personally, who had taken it rather badly.

But now Jolene was out of the woods and Donna, having been sworn to secrecy, had been able to speak with her over the phone several times. It was a true relief to hear her voice and know that she was alive and well. Ellie and Kenny had been so happy to speak with her as well. Although they had known that their Auntie Jo was sick, they had no idea that she was in the hospital or how seriously ill she had actually been.

Before the lockdown, bone-tired was how Donna would usually describe herself with all she had on her plate as Opie's wife and mother to twins, in addition to still working "part-time" for Oswald Construction. Donna had quickly risen in the ranks from office grunt to part of Elliott Oswald's small army of assistants. Elliott had soon grown extremely dependent on not only Donna's organizational skills, but her connections to several government agencies courtesy of SAMCRO, which gave him a certain amount of pull that his money did not. Fortunately, Elliott understood the circumstances surrounding the lockdown. He was a longtime friend of the Club and was horrified at the events that erupted right on Main Street. As a result, once Juice had set up a secured connection, Elliott allowed Donna to work remotely from the Clubhouse. There was no way that Opie was going allow her off the lot until the attacker had been positively identified and this situation with the Mayans was resolved. So instead of getting some much needed rest, Donna headed back to Opie's old dorm for some peace and quiet while she caught up on her backlog of office work.

Lifting her head as she sat at her makeshift desk, Donna heard the faint roar of motorcycles and headed outside to the parking lot where several old ladies had already congregated to welcome the riders. The lot was crowded with the bikes of visiting charter members and the cars of all the SAMCRO families. The noise was deafening as the lot was overrun with Club children, who were fighting on the swings, running around, or just generally getting in the way.

As the large gate was pulled back by a couple of prospects, Donna could see her old man, along with Clay, Jax, and Tig riding in. Right behind them was Gemma's Escalade and several out-of-town members serving as guards returning from a food run at Murphy's Stop-N-Shop.

Opie parked his bike in its usual spot and headed directly toward Donna, who ran into his open arms. "Is everything okay? How's Jo?" She asked anxiously.

Opie bent down to kiss his old lady, feeling the sting of guilt each time he wrapped his arms around her, grateful that it wasn't Donna lying in that hospital bed. "She's okay, baby." Opie raised his head to look for the twins and spotted them, doing their best to fight for a spot on the swing set that was currently being overrun. Looking on as Kenny shoved Tiki Munson, who was twice his size, out of one of the swings, yelling at the top of his lungs, "It's Ellie's turn now!", Opie smiled proudly.

"That's my son!"

"So you like to see your son fighting, huh?" Donna said, shaking her head ruefully.

"I like to see my son protecting his family," replied Opie. "Which is what I'm about to do now." He watched as he saw Clay, Jax, and Tig gather their brothers into the Clubhouse. He kissed Donna on the forehead. "We're heading to the table. I'll see you later."

* * *

It was standing-room only in the Chapel as it was crowded with the full complement of the mother charter in their respective chairs and the top three officers from the Tacoma, Rogue River, Tucson, and Reno charters.

Clay banged his gavel to call the meeting to order. "My brothers, we now have some new Intel on the hit on SAMCRO's VP and his old lady. An eyewitness has come forward and we now know the identity of the shooter."

"Finally, brutha!" Exclaimed Chibs. "So we have confirmation that it was them bloody lying Mayans?"

"No." Jax shook his head soberly. "It seems that Alvarez was telling the truth after all. They weren't behind the hit. It was that fuckin' Nord, Whistler."

"Why would the Nords want to hit Jax?" Queried Lorca, Tacoma's VP. "I thought SAMCRO had a friendly relationship with the Aryans."

"We did." Clay said with a grimace. "The Nords have been protecting Otto while he's serving his sentence in Stockton, but Darby's second-in-command had a little falling out with our VP here a few years back. The result of said falling out left the bastard swinging with only one nut. In the interest of protecting the Big O, we made some reparations—"

 _Reparations?_ Jax thought. "What fuckin' reparations are you talking about?"

Clay remembered, just a tad too late that he never informed Jax about that part of the plan. "It's not important."

"I'll be the judge of that." Jax insisted. "What reparations are you talking about?"

Clay turned to Jax, his eyes flashing. "The monetary kind. Whistler wanted blood, _your_ blood. I was able to talk him down to 50K and a Walther."

"Oh really? And how did that work out for you?" Jax asked angrily, realizing that the .22 caliber Walther Clay had gifted to Whistler was probably the same gun used on his old lady.

"Now is not the time, VP." Clay chastised, the warning in his tone clear. Turning back to his brothers, Clay continued, "In any event, we think Whistler decided to take advantage of our current beef with the Mayans to instigate an attack on Jax, thinking that they would get the blame."

"Shit!" Zeus exclaimed. "They thought right. Isn't that why we've all been down here for over two weeks now?"

"Yes, and we greatly appreciate our brothers coming to our aid." Jax replied strongly. "We needed the Mayans to see that we had a strong presence in town to prevent them from coming at us when we were in a vulnerable position, but we didn't want to retaliate without knowing for sure that it was the Mayans that hit us."

"Good thing you waited, brother." Said Little Paul of the Tucson chapter. "If the shit had jumped off up in here, it would have started a blood war all up down and down the West Coast. All the charters would have been at risk."

"Well, now that we know who's responsible," Clay started. "We're going hunting. I want to find this prick before it gets back to certain unhelpful members of the Charming Police Department. Once the matter has been handled, we'll meet with Alvarez, end the lockdown, and get all of your charters back home safely. It'll be back to business as usual before you know it."

"Sounds like a plan. What can we do to help?" Kozik asked.

"We want to keep this as low key as possible. We think Deputy Dog is having us tailed, so we need to be smart about going after Darby's man. We plan to ride out close to sundown and could use some assistance in distracting local law enforcement. If we send out six or seven convoys from some of our other charters, Charming PD will hopefully be too unprepared to follow them all, allowing SAMCRO to head over to Darby's crank lab on the outskirts of town. We get him to roll on Whistler and then we take care of him." Clay said menacingly. "Hap, did you bring your bag of tricks with you?"

"I did." Happy replied in his gravelly voice.

"You want to ride along with us?" Jax asked. "I think we may have a need for your expertise."

"Oh yes I will!" Happy said with a wicked gleam in his dark brown eyes and a devilish smile on his face.

After quickly conferring, Clay and Jax set up groups of four riders each to lead Charming PD on a wild goose chase, while the remaining members from the visiting charters continued to stand guard over the compound, with the exception of Kozik and Juice. Jax wanted them at the hospital stationed outside Jolene's door.

As the brothers exited the Chapel, Kyle approached Clay. "It might be a good Idea for a couple of SAMCRO faces to stick around the Clubhouse, don't ya think? If Hale does have a tail on the Club and he loses you, he may show up here. Having one or two of our faces around might be enough to throw him off the scent."

"He may be right." Bobby conceded.

"Fine, Kyle, you stay," Clay said impatiently. "But I'm not about to leave all my men behind."

"Are you kidding?" Tig was shocked that it was even a consideration. "And miss out on all the fun? Fuck no!"

"Not a problem." Kyle said. "I can keep everything under control."

Clay looked at him hard. "You better."

As Clay and Bobby headed over to their bikes, Clay noted, "That was a pretty lame excuse."

Bobby agreed. "He probably has his eye on having himself a pussy feast now that the majority of the brothers are leaving the compound."

Clay smirked. "More likely, he's a fuckin' coward. Never did like getting his hands dirty."

* * *

It was completely dark by the time SAMCRO had pulled up to the edge of the property owned by Ernest Darby's mother in one of Unser's delivery trucks. The plan to outwit Charming's finest worked out perfectly, allowing the hunting party to leave the T-M lot dressed in plain clothes and in a couple of cargo vans until they could "liberate" one of Unser's trucks for the job.

The property was situated on the outskirts of Charming, not far off from the Interchange. As Clay had said to Darby at their meet at Nicky's Diner, the property was definitely isolated enough for Darby's meth lab. That isolation would come in handy for the little party the Sons had in mind for tonight.

The house was located about 100 yards from the edge of the property with a rough dirt road that led up to a gravel driveway. The house was small and quite old, but in relatively good condition. The actual lab was located in several outbuildings located deeper into the property. Darby had turned one of those outbuildings into a dorm of sorts for the cheap—and illegal—labor he employed to package his product. Darby wasn't above working with color if it would bring his profits up. White boys were just too expensive.

It was apparent that someone was home as, from the edge of the property line, Clay observed a number of lights on and some movement within the small house. As far as he could tell, there were at least two, maybe three warm bodies inside. It was a dark night, but fortunately there was enough moonlight so that there was some visibility around the house. The slightly overgrown shrubs and bushes around the house would provide good cover and keep them from being exposed out in the open as they approached the house. Their entire plan relied on the Sons catching Darby completely off guard.

Clay motioned to Jax. "So how you want to handle this, VP?"

Taking off the night vision goggles that he had used to observe the property, Jax addressed the group of his brothers in a hushed tone. "I think we split up into four groups. We converge on all sides of the property, secure everyone in the house, and we get the location on Whistler from Darby." He said looking directly at Tig. "As quietly as possible."

"You know, sometimes you can suck the fun right out of a situation." Tig whispered petulantly. "What if Darby ain't willing to share the info on Whistler's location?"

"Well, that's why Happy's here," Clay smiled ferociously. "To put his little bag of tricks to use. You ready, Hap?"

In the moonlight, Jax could see Happy's wide grin as he adjusted the weight of the large backpack on his shoulder. "Ready and willing, brother."

"Then let's roll."

* * *

Darby was sitting on a tattered old couch with two of the girls he was currently hustling. It had been a long day. Between running back and forth from the Charming lab and the other one in Pope, he was exhausted.

He couldn't really complain, though. Things certainly had been looking up ever since the deal he struck with SAMCRO was put in motion. The money was rolling in with the new operation in Charming and because of it, Darby had told his partner in Pope that he could take his property at the industrial park and shove it up his ass as he no longer needed it to cook his product. Suddenly, unwilling to lose out on fast money being made on a useless piece of land, his partner back-peddled and became more reasonable. Darby was able to renegotiate a cushy deal that had him on the winning side for once.

Now that Darby had two successful operations running smoothly, Whistler had convinced him that they should branch out into the prostitution business. Crank and pussy. They went together like peanut butter and jelly, he reasoned. His customer base in Pope, usually truck drivers and industrial workers were always looking for ways to party, so dealing pussy was the next logical step in dealing meth. They had a stable of around 4-6 regular girls that worked out of some of the shadier motels and truck stops in Pope, but Darby hoped that he would soon be able to expand and set up shop in Charming, thus providing a higher caliber of pussy to his clientele.

 _It may be time to have another talk with Clay_ , thought Darby. Time to use his protection of Otto to garner some more profits for the Nords. Slow, baby steps. Not enough to rock the boat, but enough so that Clay will acquiesce. Clay was a business man after all and Darby was not averse to cutting him off a piece of the profits. Besides, with all the recent trouble that the Sons were having with the Mayans and the shooting of Teller and his old lady, SAMCRO would be far too busy to notice or care that he was strengthening the Nords' position in Charming. Eventually, Darby knew that he would be able to talk his way into selling not only meth, but pussy in Charming. It was just going to take a little time.

Darby decided that he needed to relax just a little more. Grabbing the blond that was sitting to his left by the back of her neck, Darby pushed her head towards the direction of his crotch, when the front door burst open. As the women started screaming, Darby reached down to grab his gun strapped to his ankle when he felt the cold, hard barrel of a gun pressed up against his oily dome. _Well, shit_ , Darby thought.

Darby turned his eyes slightly to the right and saw Jax Teller's flared nostrils and deep blue eyes staring him in the face.

"Going somewhere?" Jax asked as he raised the butt of his gun and knocked Darby the hell out. "Maybe not."

* * *

When Darby came to, he found himself sitting at the head of his mother's dining room table, hands and feet bound to a chair and a ball gag in his mouth. On one side of the table, he observed a rather menacing bald-headed and inked Son wearing his mother's flowered kitchen apron and what appeared to be a pair of her yellow rubber kitchen gloves. As the tall man opened a backpack sitting on an adjacent dining room chair, he withdrew what looked like a mid-sized leather bedroll. Placing it on the table and unrolling it with great flourish, Darby looked down and saw a group of long shiny metal instruments. Darby's eyes nearly jumped out of his head and he started screaming around the gag in his mouth.

"Damn, Hap. If it wasn't for that gag, he'd be screaming like a little biatch and you haven't even laid a finger on him yet. Betcha dollars to donuts he's already shit his pants."

Darby's eyes traveled across to the speaker and saw Clay sitting at the opposite end of the table, a cigar dangling from his mouth. "Oh, fark!" Darby mumbled through the gag.

Seeing all 32 of Clay Morrow's teeth smiling at him, Darby knew that things did not bode well for the foreseeable future. Leaning up against the entrance wall of the dining room, with his arms crossed and one fierce looking KA-BAR in his right hand, was Jax Teller. Seeing the knife in Teller's hand, along with the crazy look in his eyes, Darby realized that things just went from bad to Hell.

Tig, who was standing to Darby's right, reached over and yanked the gag out of his mouth.

Darby gasped to get air into his lungs and quickly tried to talk his way out of whatever shit-storm he had managed to walk himself into now.

"Well, fellas, this is hardly the way to drop in for a proper visit." Darby said trying to be charming, but only came across as smarmy. "If you wanted to pay me a visit, all you had to do was knock on the door. SAMCRO is always welcome here. Mi casa is you casa."

"Well, that's certainly quite neighborly of you," Clay smiled sardonically. "But seeing as there seems to be a little miscommunication between our crews, we thought that it would be better to stop by—unannounced. Maybe next time, we'll bring a Bundt cake."

"If there _is_ a next time." Jax nearly growled.

Swallowing hard, Darby tried to be charismatic and failed miserably. "Miscommunication? Why I don't know what you're talking about. We've kept to our end of the deal. Otto stays protected in Stockton and the Nords can cook in Charming, no dealing. We haven't overstayed our welcome."

"Really? Well, I don't know about that. Jax, what do you call it when some low-life mutha fucka tries to take you out and ends up gunning down and nearly killing your old lady, who also happens to be _my_ kid?" Charming Clay had been quickly replaced by ugly, bitter, twisted Clay.

"I call it overstaying your welcome." Jax answered in a dead tone.

"Yeah," said Clay, nodding. "That sounds about right to me, too."

Darby shifted in his seat. "Clay, there's no way that the Nords would shit on this deal. How could we possibly benefit by taking out a SAMCRO officer? The only ones stupid enough to hit SAMCRO would be the wetbacks." Darby shouted as Happy pulled out a long shiny instrument with a vicious looking hook at the front end of it and started walking towards him.

"Either you're the lying sack of shit that I know you to be, or you just don't know how to control your crew, Darby." Clay started. "It seems that someone else, a fuckin' moron in my book, thought that they could hit us and pass it off on the Mayans, but we have it on very good authority that it was a Nord who pulled the trigger. So unless you tell us where we can find him, I'm going to let my brother here carve you up like a Thanksgiving turkey. And, as he is nothing if not thorough, he's going to take a _long, long_ time doing it, too. It may take all night. Good thing it's so quiet and isolated around here. No neighbors to hear your blood-curdling screams, that is, except for us, _neighbor_. I can only speak for myself, but I am a big fan of his handy work." Clay said kindly.

"Fuck," Jax started with an evil half-grin on his face. "I might join in my damn self."

Darby let out a little yelp, as Happy, grinning widely, grabbed hold of Darby by his arm.

"Clay, Clay, please!" Darby started, his voice shaky. "If one of my crew is the party responsible for shooting up your stepson and his old lady, I'll give him to you, no problem whatsoever."

"See, Darby. Once again, you've proven yourself to be a smart man. I'm glad that we're able to work something out." Clay said as he leaned back in his chair. "Sorry, Hap. Maybe next time." Clay directed at the disgruntled biker known as the Tacoma Killer. With what could almost be classified as a grimace-slash-pout, Happy sighed heavily as he shoved the wicked looking instrument back in its place.

Jax walked up to Darby, grabbing hold of the top of his head, and put the point of his KA-BAR just underneath Darby's left eye.

"Where can we find that scum-sucking, cock-knocker you call your second-in-command?" Jax whispered, making the hairs in Darby's nose stand on end.

 _Whistler?_ _That stupid, stupid fuckin' hick!_ Darby thought savagely.

In that moment, there was no doubt in Darby's mind that Whistler had most definitely gone after Jax Teller. Darby recalled their conversation after they had run into the Queen of Charming and the SAMCRO Princess at Murphy's. He had cautioned him that eventually Whistler could get his revenge, but not now, not when they were just getting on their feet financially, and certainly not in a way that would lead the fucking Sons of Anarchy right to his front door!

Looking into Jax's fierce eyes, Darby realized that Whistler had made a horrible error in judgment in trying to take out SAMCRO's VP. Not only had he done a piss-poor job of it, but he compounded the error by shooting and nearly killing Jolene Morrow. As much as he owed Whistler for his loyalty, especially while he was in Chino, he knew that if he didn't give up Whistler, Darby would end up taking a permanent dirt nap in the near future.

"He's here." Darby blurted. Seeing all eyes in the room focus on him, Darby continued. "Not in the house, at the lab. He has a small cabin next to the one set up for the wetback laborers. He's there by himself tonight. If he was stupid enough to try taking you out, he deserves whatever he gets."

* * *

Leaving their brothers from another charter guarding Darby, as well as the two women they had blindfolded and tied up in an upstairs bedroom, the members of SAMCRO took off to confront Whistler.

The one room cabin with a tiny bathroom was well suited to the very solitary existence of Whistler these days. As second-in-command, Darby relied heavily on him to keep both the Charming and Pope meth labs in operation. Staying here on the property was very helpful and he was able to keep Darby's workers in line, a task he relished with evil savagery.

Darby had invited him up to the house later as he was bringing some hookers over to party, but Whistler had declined. Rethinking the matter, he realized that some recreation might not be a bad idea after all. Maybe there was a dark-haired bitch over there he could tear into. Having been deprived of some one-on-one alone time with Teller's fine-ass pussy, fantasizing about the hurtin' he would have put on her seemed to be the only way he could get it up lately. As Whistler stood on the small porch of the cabin, he heard a noise in the bushes off to his right.

At first, he thought it was one of the nocturnal animals that seemed to run rampant all over the property. But hearing what could only be categorized as noises of a man-made variety, Whistler pulled his gun from his shoulder holster and started shooting in the noises' general direction.

Proving himself to be the Class A sharpshooter, who had earned a place at sniper school until an unfortunate incident involving a goat earned him a psyche discharge from the Marines, Tig, using night vision goggles and an AK-47, shot the pistol right out of Whistler's hand.

"Fuck!" Whistler yelled as he tried to get back inside his cabin, but his throbbing hand was proving less than useless at turning the knob. Before he could pull the hunting knife strapped to his thigh, Jax was barreling towards him, jack-knifing him to the ground. Even though Whistler was bigger and bulkier than Jax, he wasn't as quick and before he could say "Whistler's Mother", Jax was straddling his chest as he pulled his Glock and practically shoved it down Whistler's throat, knocking out a front tooth and chipping another.

Remembering the last words Jolene could recall hearing after Whistler pointed the gun at her head, Jax grimaced. "Not today, bitch." He growled, intent on pulling the trigger and aerating the back of Whistler's head.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Clay was hollering as he ran towards Jax. "No one understands your rage more than me, brother, but not so fast. Let's get him inside."

With Whistler suddenly surrounded by several of Jax's brothers brandishing all types of hardware, Jax reluctantly pulled himself up, but not before hocking a lougie of majestic proportions right at his face.

Turning to Clay, Jax grabbed his arm. "Promise me he's mine."

"Awww, VP, I was hoping for a father/son bonding moment as we ripped him to shreds together, but if you insist, he's all yours . . . _after_ we talk to the prick." Clay explained. "Get him inside." He ordered and Happy lifted the bulky, no-neck Aryan onto his feet as he grabbed a handful of his shirt and pushed him towards the cabin.

The one-room shack boasted all the amenities a loner, skinhead white supremacist could possibly desire. In the far corner of the room, near a water heater, was an army surplus cot with a mattress no thicker than two of Charming's yellow pages stacked together, which wasn't very thick. There was a hot plate on the counter/sink, a plain wooden table with two chairs, and a small refrigerator, which at the moment housed one beer and a carton of milk well past its expiration date. The bathroom had no door, a standing shower with no curtain, and a toilet that probably had not been cleaned since 1947. Scattered across the floor were empty take-out cartons, beer cans, and dirty clothes, and bringing it all together was an Aryan Brotherhood flag with a swastika emblazoned in the center.

Jax looked around the room with utter disdain and disgust. Living like this, if it could be called living, seemed like punishment enough. It was almost sad, really, that after he got through with this piece of shit, there would be no one to mourn him. _Almost_ , Jax thought, _but not quite_. If Jax had been looking forward to taking Darby apart, he was nearly giddy with excitement when he contemplated all the possibilities available to him thanks to Happy and his bag of toys. _It may take days_ , Jax gloated to himself.

Whistler knew he was a dead man. He had no delusions about walking out of this alive. Teller's old lady must have not only survived, but remembered his face. Whoever said no news was good news was full of shit. When no word of her condition had made it into the papers, Whistler should have seized the opportunity to pay the hospital a visit and make sure for himself, but even though he boasted just an eighth grade education, he wasn't stupid. He knew that St. Thomas would have been crawling with not only the cops, but SOA as well. He should have just kept his ass in Pope running the other lab, biding his time, and waiting for war to break out between the Sons and the Mayans. In hindsight, he should have just picked up his cell phone when his accomplice had called earlier, more than likely to warn him of his impending doom.

Speaking like a man with nothing left to lose, Whistler said as he smirked, "If it hadn't been for that piece of shit Walther you gave me," He directed at Clay as he wiped the blood from his broken tooth off his chin. "Your whore of a daughter would be dead."

Before Jax could make it across the room, Clay threw Whistler on the cot and was pounding his face with both multi-ringed fists. He would need several cortisone shots in order to bring his pain level down to the discomfort of a dull ache later on, but seeing the smug look on Whistler's face replaced with bloody cuts and quite possibly a broken nose was extremely satisfying.

Grabbing Whistler's head in his hands, Clay growled, "Why? Your beef was with the Club, you fucking piece of shit. Why did you have to shoot my kid?"

Spitting a mix of blood and saliva at Clay, Clay back-handed him one more time before Whistler started laughing like a madman.

"My beef wasn't with the Club. I wanted _him_ dead." Whistler started, looking over Clay's shoulder at Jax, who was staring back with a clenched jaw and his right hand on his KA-BAR. "But you knew that. You basically sealed her fate when you tried to buy your VP's life back with a crap gun and a few pieces of silver." He laughed.

"You need to move _now_ , Clay." Jax said through gritted teeth.

"My original plan for you and your bitch took an unexpected turn when, instead of heading home, you went to Floyd's." Whistler directed at Jax, looking him straight in the eyes. "I was gonna blow your nuts off and make you watch as you bled to death while I ripped your pussy a new hole before I skull-fucked her. It was gonna be bloody and painful, and probably the best time she's ever had."

Jax pulled his knife and, blinded by his rage, lunged towards Whistler in spite of the fact that he had to get through Clay first. It took Chibs, Opie, and Tig to keep Clay from becoming collateral damage as they pulled Jax back.

"You are so dead." Clay addressed Whistler as he stood up and pulled Whistler up onto his feet before pushing him back down onto his knees.

"Hold on, brothers. Before he dies the bloody and violent death that's probably too good for him anyway," Bobby started. "We need to know who the getaway driver was."

"That's easy." Whistler replied with a chuckle. "The driver, the actual mastermind behind the hit, was none other than a member of SAMCRO, and I'm sure if you think real hard, you'll know exactly who it was."

Clay was shaking his head in disbelief. "NO!" He yelled. "You're lying." He insisted, refusing to acknowledge the possibility that he knew exactly who it was.

"I have no reason to lie. You said so yourself. I'm a fuckin' dead man and if I gotta die," Whistler said, looking up at Clay. "Then I'm taking Kyle Hobart with me. He knew I wanted nothing more than to see Teller dead and he wanted the same thing, said Teller had usurped him of the VP patch that was rightfully his and promised a shitload of sweet deals if I not only took out Teller, but later on, you as well." Before he could continue, Tig lashed out with a boot to the face that knocked him back.

Crawling back onto his knees, Whistler wiped the blood from the gash Tig had opened up on his cheek. "If you don't believe me, I have it all on tape."

"Where is it?" Clay ground out, still unable to process what Whistler was saying as fact.

"In that pretty little box you gave me," Whistler pointed to the cot. "Under my bed."

Opie moved to retrieve the box. Pulling it out, he flipped it open and found a small hand held tape player with a micro-cassette inside.

Pressing play and raising the volume as high as it would go, SAMCRO listened as Whistler and Kyle Hobart planned the assassination of the two top-ranking SAMCRO officers over a pint of beer in some dive bar outside Charming. Kyle's voice was unmistakable, the promises he was making in return were not the mere ramblings of a drunk wasted on Johnny Walker Black. Not this time. It was obvious by the tone of his voice that he had been planning this for a while and he was only drunk on his own thirst for power and delusions of grandeur.

" _I know you hate that son-of-a-bitch, after all, look what he did to you. The bastard walks around Charming like his shit don't stink and I'm sick of it. That VP patch should have been mine a long time ago. You helping me get him out of the way could prove beneficial to the Nords and their crank business in Charming." Kyle said._

" _How so? Only way we could possibly benefit is if we could deal and that's not happening." Whistler argued._

" _With me as Clay's right hand, yes it would." Kyle boasted. "The old man's got degenerative arthritis. His days are numbered anyhow. As it was, he relied heavily on Big Otto while he was VP. Manipulating and pushing him around would have been easy enough with me in the VP chair. I have my fair share of supporters within the Club, and if push ever came to shove and Clay was having trouble riding, guess who would have taken the top spot? Now, with his daughter's old man as his second-in-command, Teller is all but guaranteed the presidency, which is not good for me and certainly not good for the Nords. He was against letting your crew cook in Charming in the first place and can't wait for the day he can run your asses out of town. Who would you rather have wielding the gavel and calling the shots? Him or me?"_

" _I want Teller dead, but for my own personal reasons. That I can definitely handle on my own, without your personal shit getting in the mix. Now, when it comes to the business aspect of what you're_ _suggesting, I don't think that you as VP could possibly have enough pull to make Charming the Nords' permanent base of operations. I'm just saying." Whistler replied, goading him on._

Even though it wasn't video they were watching of the exchange between Kyle and Whistler, it was clearly evident that Kyle was being played, and that Whistler was using Kyle's own insecurities within the Club against him.

" _Let me get this straight. Y_ _our plan is to play the waiting game in order to take over the Club? Nah, the Nords ain't got that kind of time on their hands and, besides, that's not how we operate." Whistler continued. "You wanna take over the top spot, you have act fast and without warning. Boom, boom! Take 'em both out right now."_

" _Makes sense and there's certainly no time like the present. Our beef with the wetbacks continues to escalate. Take Teller out first, making it seem like it was a Mayan-ordered hit. While the Club's scrambling to get revenge and declare war on Alvarez and his crew, go after Clay next. Cut off the head, and the chickens will just run around, not knowing which end it's coming from. After the dust settles, and I'm sitting at the head of the table, the Nords stay in Charming."_

Kyle was talking a lot of shit, and even though it was clear to every Son in that room that the promises he was making to the Nords had no chance of ever coming to fruition, it was difficult to tell if Kyle knew he was bullshitting Whistler or if he really believed what he was saying. There was a pause in the conversation as both men assessed each other over their drinks.

Jax was about to speak, was about to suggest calling Piney at the Clubhouse to secure Kyle until they got there, when Kyle continued speaking, what he said and how he said it turning Jax's blood into ice water.

" _You've seen Teller's old lady?" Kyle was asking._

After another pause that was sure to include him nodding his head, Whistler continued, with a lewd laugh and a vulgar smacking of his lips.

" _Why? Are you lookin' to sweeten the pot cuz that's a fine piece of pussy."_

" _Absolutely. Teller's planning on taking her out of town soon. I can get you the details on when they plan on returning, including the exact route they'll be taking. Kill Teller and with him out of the way, we can arrange, let's call it, a little private party. Just you, me, and Jolene Morrow before taking out Clay. After I have a go, I don't give a fuck what you do with her. Afterward, dump the body somewhere far from Charming, but just make sure it gets found. I would love to see that crippled fuck and Fat Elvis suffer over the broken and battered body of their little bastard bitch."_

_Laughing again, the evil intent clear in his voice, Whistler continued, "I like the way you think, but I want Teller to watch as I tear his pussy apart before gutting the bitch."_

Everyone's eyes and ears were riveted on the tape recorder in Opie's hand and, aside from the almost maniacal laughter coming from both men on the recording, the room was deathly quiet. Until, and without warning, Jax stepped forward, Glock in hand, and put a bullet through Whistler's skull, blood and brain matter splattering on the wall behind him. Clay gave Jax an incredulous look as he pulled a handkerchief out of the pocket of his hoodie and wiped some of the projectile splatter off his face.

"You coulda warned a brother." He said to Jax, who was staring down at Whistler, knowing that if he could bring him back to life, he'd shoot him in his remaining nut first, before blowing his brains out again.

"Why did I bother coming?" Happy groused. "I thought for sure we were going to take him apart."

With flared nostrils, Jax patted Happy on the shoulder. "It's okay, bro. I'm saving my A-game for a certain piece of shit. You with me?"

"Oh, yes I am!" Happy actually smiled as he eagerly followed Jax out of the cabin.

* * *

The seedy motel offered nothing in the way of basic amenities that would normally be expected, but as it was the only motel adjacent to the highway for forty miles in either direction, the owner knew he had his customers over a barrel. Situated twenty miles outside of Bakersfield, the motel's clientele catered primarily to truckers and prostitutes, with the occasional road-weary family who stopped at the motel only out of sheer desperation.

For one of the motel's current residents, the second redeeming feature of the motel—the easy access to prostitutes being the main consideration—was that it had a parking lot in back of the property as well as in front, which allowed its guests to discreetly park their vehicles so that they could not be easily spotted by passing traffic.

_God, what a hole in the wall._

Kyle Hobart was sitting in the dark on one of the two dilapidated full-size beds the small room offered. Opposite the bed, a small color television sported a picture, but no sound, which was fine, as the current feature was a late night commercial for a local used car dealership. The cowboy hat-wearing salesman with a cheesy grin on his face reeked of desperation and was trying to convince some stupid asshole to buy a cage.

Taking a long pull from the bottle of his favorite alcoholic beverage, Johnny Walker Black, Kyle considered the miserable existence that was his life, a life that he was sure he wouldn't have for much longer.

In his drunken state, Kyle had somehow managed to clearly see his options and none of them were good. In all his 40-plus years, Kyle Hobart had never felt fear like he was feeling fear right now.

_I'm a dead man._

Kyle had come to that conclusion several weeks ago when all of his carefully laid plans and schemes blew the hell up.

Kyle had experienced mixed feelings on that fine Summer's eve as Whistler rode bitch on one of his old rides that they had used for the getaway. The mission had been accomplished, but not to his liking. The original plan had been to take Teller at his home, but at the last minute, Whistler called and told Kyle that it would be better to take him out on Main Street and for Kyle to be ready to pick him up as soon as he did the deed. Kyle didn't want to be anywhere near the scene, but Whistler had him in between a rock and a hard place, threatening to abort the job completely.

So Kyle had shown up in plain dark clothes, a helmet that completely covered his face, and riding an old bike he had in storage that he kept running in mint condition. Good thing, too. It had taken him 15 minutes hauling ass to make it over to Main Street. While Kyle missed Whistler shooting Teller, he was just in time to witness the shooting of Jolene Morrow.

In the back of Kyle's mind, his paternal instinct kicked in and he realized the moment Jolene Morrow's body had hit the sidewalk that it was the beginning of the end for him. It was one thing to take out SAMCRO's VP. It was an entirely different matter to kill Clarence Morrow's daughter while the crippled bastard was still alive and kicking. Kyle knew that there would be no stopping Clay from avenging the death of his daughter.

But Kyle had managed to delude himself and, as they pulled away from the crime scene, he congratulated himself for a plan well executed. After dropping Whistler off in Pope, Kyle headed to his planned celebration. He had secured a low-rent motel room in Lodi and a couple of hookers for the party to end all parties, turned off his cell phone and the "President-elect" of the mother charter proceeded to have himself a great time.

It wasn't until the following morning, after he woke up to an empty room, an even emptier wallet, and a roaring hangover that Kyle turned on his phone to find that he had 15 missed calls. But he had expected this and after taking himself a long and relaxing shower, he called Juice to put on the performance of his life, only to find out that Teller had survived the shooting.

 _The shoulder! He shot him in the fuckin' shoulder?_ Kyle was livid. _The one asshole I task to do the job and he doesn't know the difference between a shoulder and a head shot?_

Kyle quickly questioned Juice to get the particulars of the shooting under the guise of concern and felt reasonably sure that he was safe, but as he headed back to the Clubhouse in the back of his mind, only one thought reverberated in his head as he retraced his steps over and over in his head.

_Can anything come back and bite me in the ass?_

Kyle soon discovered that the only witness to the shooting was Jolene, but with two bullets in her chest and several surgeries under her belt, it wasn't likely that she would survive. Waiting vigil with the rest of the Sons, Kyle quickly came to the conclusion that maybe he should take out an insurance policy by helping Jolene along on her path to meeting her maker. Hopefully, if he did it right, he could make it look like she had succumbed to her injuries, but the problem was she was _always_ under the watchful eyes of the Sons or Charming PD. So he waited, hoping against hope that somehow Jolene would just fuckin' die! That was the only sure-fire way that he and Whistler would escape discovery.

 _Somebody must have been looking out for me_ , Kyle thought wryly, as Jolene was in a coma for going on three weeks with no sign of improvement. But Kyle's joy was short-lived when Clay called an emergency Church session to announce the identity of the shooter. Apparently, Kyle's standing within his own club had not improved any in the past three years as he had been kept out of the loop regarding her condition.

How Kyle managed to keep himself from leaping to his feet and running for the Chapel doors was still a mystery. Keeping his face passive and not giving a clue to anyone of the roiling emotions in his belly, his mind quickly started planning his escape. As soon as SAMCRO and the contingent of visiting charter members had left, Kyle made an excuse to Piney that he was going out for some smokes and never came back. It was all but guaranteed that as soon as they caught up with Whistler, every chapter would be hunting down the former Son who had betrayed SAMCRO, and by extension, all the SOA charters.

_I'm better off eating my own gun than letting Teller get a hold of me._

All of his dreams and aspirations of being the President of the mother charter were gone forever and only now did Kyle see that he had been living in a dream world, completely cut off from reality.

_My life is worth less than a pile of flaming dog shit._

Kyle had gathered what funds he had and headed straight out of town, trying to put as many miles between him and SAMCRO as possible.

Initially, his gut told him to head to Nevada, but hiding out in a state that had not only a charter of the Sons, but another MC with friendly ties to SAMCRO—namely the Devil's Tribe—was a big gamble. But by hiding in plain sight, Kyle had hoped that his former brothers would think that it was unlikely that he would take such a risk. Las Vegas should hopefully be far enough from Reno and Indian Hills to avoid discovery and give Kyle enough time to consider his options, which, at the moment, were very few in number.

Kyle put the cap on the bottle he had been swilling. He needed to get sober and he needed some sleep. He had to be in Las Vegas and under wraps by tomorrow afternoon to meet up with some of his contacts outside the MC world. Hopefully, they may be able to provide him a safe haven until he figured shit out.

* * *

Jax was sitting on the edge of the box spring of Kyle's bed back at the Clubhouse with his head in his hands. He had just spent the last ten minutes in a rage, rampaging, and basically destroying the room. He had punched several holes in the walls, bloodying his knuckles, and had managed to rip the bathroom door off its hinges. Having tossed the queen-sized mattress clear across the room, he had knocked several shelves off the wall. Finding the sound of breaking glass somewhat satisfying, Jax proceeded to pull and throw the drawers of Kyle's dresser, still containing some of his personal items, against the walls, finally knocking the dresser onto its side and stomping the mirror to pieces.

As quick as his temper was to flare, Jax was just as quick to calm down. His SAMCRO brothers, now congregated in the hallway outside Kyle's room, let him have his moment of pure unadulterated rage, all the while making sure he didn't end up hurting himself as he was still recovering from a gunshot wound. Jax sat quietly, taking deep breaths as his breathing returned to normal. Pushing his hair out of his face with bloody hands, Jax looked up and seemed to notice for the first time that he was not alone.

Pushing past Tig and Chibs, Happy stepped into the room. He recognized the look in Jax's eyes, had seen it in himself when he looked in the mirror hundreds, maybe thousands of times.

Placing his hand on Jax's shoulder, Happy's face was as contorted with anger as Jax knew his must be. "We'll find him, brother," Happy started. "And when we do, we'll make him pay." He promised and Jax nodded.

Those words, coming from one of his brothers, seemed to shake Jax out of his stupor of rage and blood lust. While those feelings were still there, Happy had just reminded him that dealing with Kyle wasn't just his personal vendetta, but the Club's as well. SAMCRO had been betrayed not only by one of their own, but by a patch who sat at the table and who, for all intents and purposes, anyone wearing the Reaper would have trusted with his life. That betrayal alone gave his brothers the right to extract their own pound of flesh from Kyle, but for Jax, Kyle had set in motion a series of events that almost killed his old lady. The fact that Jax had been a target as well wasn't what fed Jax's need for Kyle's blood. Hearing the violence and depravity that Kyle and Whistler had planned for Jolene alone had visions of Jax shoving Kyle's still-beating heart down his throat dancing in his head. Standing up, he gave Happy a bro-hug with a hearty pat on the back.

"Where's Clay?" Jax asked, moving towards the door.

"Chapel," Chibs replied. "But let me take a look at them hands there, brutha and your shouldah, too."

Shaking his head, Jax pulled a blue bandana from his back pocket and wrapped it around the worst of his two jacked up hands. "I need to talk to Clay."

Making his way through the crowded Clubhouse, Jax finally found himself in front of the Chapel doors and entered without knocking.

Clay was sitting in his chair, his mind a million miles away, as he puffed on his cigar. "You done throwing your tantrum?"

Ignoring his snarkiness, Jax made his way to his chair next to Clay and sat down. "Did you check in with Kozik and Juice?" He pulled out his pack of cigarettes and lit up a smoke.

"Yeah," Clay nodded. "According to Kozik, Jolene's out cold. Anxiety's been keeping her up at night, so the doctor gave her a sedative to help her sleep. She asked Kozik to wake her up as soon as he heard from us, but I told him to just let her get some rest. Tomorrow's another day."

"Maybe we should send more guys down there." Jax suggested. "With Kyle in the wind, Jo's still not safe."

Clay nodded. "Done. I sent a small army down there as soon as we got back."

"What did Piney have to say about Kyle?" Jax asked, flicking ashes into the ashtray in front of him.

"One of the prospects saw Kyle take off less than an hour after we did. Had a backpack strapped to his back, but no one thought anything of it as April and the kids were still here. Fuckin' coward bailed on his Club _and_ his family." Clay muttered angrily.

His frustration bubbling to the surface again, Jax sat forward in his chair, nearly face-to-face with Clay. "We need to track him down, Clay. We can't just sit around with our thumbs up each other's asses."

"Oh really?" Clay questioned sarcastically as he glared at Jax. "You don't say. Good thing you're around, huh?

"You got something you need to get off your chest, you do it now. Kyle's got a good four-plus hour head start. The son of a bitch could be headed anywhere, so let's get the petty bullshit out of the way and come up with a plan to find him, fast."

"Petty? Petty bullshit? You call nearly losing my daughter, _your_ old lady, petty bullshit?"

Jax shook his head slightly, his left eye twitching just a bit. "You know that's not what I mean, Clay. You're mad at me, I get that. I'm mad at me too, but you know that I would have gladly died on that street that night if it meant—" Jax stopped and cleared his throat.

The what-ifs were driving him crazy because there was no guarantee that him dying would have spared Jolene. Before tonight, he'd been convinced that he had been the sole target, and that Jolene was just an innocent by-stander who happened to wander into the wrong place at the wrong time. After hearing that tape, Jax knew now that getting shot in the chest and nearly dying three times in as many weeks had been the best possible outcome for his girl. Had he decided to wait until Monday to get a hot shave, he would have led Whistler right into the home that Jolene had lovingly made for him with the intent of turning it into a house of horrors. Whistler got off easy, but Jax knew in his heart that he and Jolene weren't going to be so lucky.

Clay was glaring at Jax as he absently rolled his cigar between his thumb, index, and middle fingers. "Kyle can run and, if he's smart, he'll paint the walls of whatever hell hole he ends up in with his own brain matter, but make no mistake. We will find him." Clay nearly growled.

Jax nodded, knowing that even if it took the rest of his life, Kyle was a dead man.

Clay contemplated Jax for a long time. "I know you love her, Jax, but you gotta let her go." He said in a voice that was barely above a whisper. "I almost lost my daughter and I know in my gut this never would have happened if you two hadn't been together. I made a mistake returning that ring to you, but you made a bigger mistake giving it back to Jolene. I'm done holding my tongue and I'm not gonna lie. I know she loves you, she has forever, but she deserves better than you and now that she's got a second chance, I think Jolene should take that scholarship in San Diego and _you_ should let her go."

Jax was staring back at Clay with a clenched jaw and furrowed brow. Clay was expecting his face to come into contact with Jax's fist again, and couldn't have been more surprised than when Jax agreed with him.

"You're right." Jax said before taking a deep drag from his cigarette, exhaling a plume of smoke with a shaky breath. "I love her too fuckin' much to continue exposing her to the Life, Clay. Trust me, I've thought of nothing else ever since she woke up."

"What are you gonna do about it?" Clay asked, shocked as shit that Jax was talking about letting Jolene go.

Jax was shaking his head. "Right now? Nothing. We gotta find Kyle first. She's not safe with him still out there, but I've got a plan." He started. "You just gotta give me some time because, even though I know it's what's right for her, it doesn't make it any easier for me."

"You can't prolong this, Jax. I don't want her hurt any more than necessary."

"I understand, but you have to let me handle this. Don't get involved and I give you my word, I'll make sure she's out of harm's way."


	22. Exit Strategy

****Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.** **

* * *

Jax was in a resolute and determined frame of mind as he headed down one of the long corridors of St. Thomas Hospital towards Jolene's room. It seemed to Jax that the circumstances of his life were getting shittier and more complicated as each new and completely overwhelming situation presented itself.

Less than eighteen hours before, the Club had tracked down and served their own brand of outlaw justice on Jolene's attacker, only to discover that the man who had actually set the events of that horrific Sunday evening in motion was none other than Kyle Hobart.

The rage that had surfaced in Jax had been unimaginable. That a man who called himself a Son, who at one time had earned the right to wear the Reaper, _his brother_ , would so completely betray that trust, that brotherhood and all that it stood for stupefied Jax. Kyle had thrown it all away, merely to advance his own selfish agenda, out of a delusional sense of entitlement, only to end up a dead man walking. Bitterly, he recalled how Otto had warned him about Kyle's neurotic tendencies and Jax had taken the warning seriously.

 _But obviously not serious enough_ , Jax thought grimly. _I should have broken his neck during that fight in Indian Hills when I had the chance_.

Jax's anger at the revelation of Kyle's conspiracy to kill him and Clay in order to secure the Presidency of the mother charter had exploded into sheer rage and unfiltered hatred upon hearing from Kyle's own mouth about his plans to participate in the gang rape and murder of his old lady. For that alone, Kyle would suffer the most painful and horrifying death imaginable and, until the Club was able to track him down, Jax intended to plan Kyle's execution down the last detail.

Thanks to Kyle, Jax was now tasked with trying to balance his overwhelming need for vengeance with his gut-wrenching need to protect Jolene from the one person who had become her worst enemy. Himself.

Returning to the Clubhouse to discover that Kyle had disappeared certainly hadn't helped matters between him and Clay. Their discussion, while not violent, was probably the most difficult one that Jax had ever had to face, but in the end they both came to an understanding. It was now time for Jax to put their decision into motion.

Jax was abruptly pulled from his thoughts as he turned the corner and saw Patrick Doyle exiting Jolene's room. So deep was Patrick in his own thoughts that he barely avoided stumbling over Juice, who was currently sharing guard duty with Kozik outside Jolene's room, only to run smack into Jax.

The two men stood in the middle of the hallway, eyeballing each other, and both of them came to the same conclusion: they didn't particularly like each other at all.

Patrick Doyle was well-known among the members of SAMCRO as a weak, narrow-minded little geek. He was short and stocky with a hairline that was beating a hasty retreat to the back of his head. _It's hard to believe that he and Otto share the same gene pool_ , Jax observed. Patrick was Otto's nephew by his sister and grew up in Stockton, far away from the MC and Big Otto's influence.

While Jax had always been proud of Jolene's accomplishments in college, he strongly suspected that Patrick had deliberately put Jolene forward for the San Diego scholarship as a way to separate her from the Club.

 _Well, at_ _least he was thinking about her well-being_ , Jax thought with a little bitterness.

Patrick Doyle tried to look down his nose at the tall blond biker, but unfortunately he was rather height-challenged. Other than the fact that Jax Teller was a handsome man, he honestly could not see what Jolene saw in him.

Patrick had mentored Jolene during her last year in college and had been helpful in introducing her to a number of well-placed people who could assist Jolene in her goal of becoming a teacher. Patrick himself taught middle school and was a member of the San Joaquin School Board. When Patrick had first heard that Jolene was enrolled at CSU-Stan through his Aunt Luann, he wondered how far she would go before reverting back to type and ended up spending her life surrounded by a bunch of Neanderthal bikers as somebody's old lady. But Jolene had quickly surprised him, building a great reputation among her college professors and students alike. Patrick came to realize that there was an extremely intelligent brain behind those beautifully expressive eyes and that Jolene was a woman who was determined to succeed in her chosen career as a molder of young minds.

However, Patrick knew that it was only a matter of time before Jolene's association with the MC would hold her back from reaching her full potential. Unfortunately, with the horrible attack that had nearly taken her life, Patrick now had confirmation of his worst fears.

Patrick finally acknowledged Jax's presence. "Teller." He nodded curtly.

"Doyle," Jax replied, equally as curt. "What are you doing here?" Strict orders had been given that no one was to see Jolene other than her family and the hospital staff.

"I had one of the nurses ask Jolene if I could stop by for a visit," Patrick replied. "And Jolene was more than happy to see me."

 _I'm gonna have to have a little talk with Juice and Kozik later_ , Jax thought brutally, _and by talk I mean I'm gonna bash their fuckin' skulls in_.

"So what was so important that you needed to see my old lady?" Countered Jax, in a low menacing voice.

Patrick looked at him in disbelief as his Adam 's Apple bobbed up and down with emotion. "I would think that it would be obvious, don't you? She almost died because of you and your Club." Patrick exclaimed contemptuously. "Jolene is very dear to me and to a great many people at CSU-Stan. Forgive my bluntness, but seeing someone who has so much potential to make something out of her life mixed up with the likes of you is disgusting and morally offensive to me."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing my old lady doesn't seem to share your opinion." Jax replied as he crossed his arms over his chest.

In that moment, the pride he felt for Jolene was overwhelming, knowing that she loved him and her SAMCRO family in spite of the prejudices and pressures she was subjected to by those on the outside. Jolene was quick to lash out verbally at anyone who so much as voiced their uneducated opinions about the Club and Jax was sure that Patrick Doyle had, at one time or another, been on the receiving end of one of those tongue lashings. Jolene was incredibly protective of the people who had taken her in and became her family.

"No, unfortunately, she doesn't." Patrick replied heatedly.

"Still doesn't explain why you're here, especially with the strict No-Visitors policy currently in effect."

Patrick shifted uncomfortably under the biker's intense glare. "I got a phone call from my uncle this morning, collect of course, and he told me about Jolene's miraculous recovery. I was stunned and immensely relieved, even more so when he asked if the scholarship was still available to her." Patrick explained and Jax shook his head.

 _So much for Clay letting me handle this_ , Jax thought bitterly.

"Knowing that Jolene would need time to recover fully, I immediately contacted the University of San Diego and got her an extension to start the graduate study program in the Spring, but she turned me down flat. It seems," He sneered, "That her love for you is more important than her own career and well-being. It's a shame really. She might not survive the next time someone aims a gun at _you_."

Patrick turned on his heel to walk away, when he was abruptly pulled back and slammed against the wall. Patrick's panicked eyes met the cold blue stare of an angry biker. Jax kept his grip on his arm as he forcibly dragged Patrick down a deserted corridor and into an empty room reserved for the families of recovering patients.

Patrick audibly gulped as he realized that he had apparently gone a bit too far in his denunciation of Jax Teller's character and his club and opened his mouth to scream for help.

"Shut the hell up!" Jax said dangerously. He shoved Patrick into a chair and sat down in the one opposite him.

Realizing that he wasn't to be summarily executed, Patrick opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Jax again.

"Didn't I just tell you to shut the hell up?" Jax asked angrily.

Somewhat shocked, Patrick opened his mouth, looking like a fish out of water, thought better of it, and closed it again. He primly folded his still-shaking hands in his lap and waited for the blond biker to speak.

Seeing that he had the nerd completely terrorized, Jax took a moment to calm down and managed to speak to Patrick in a calm, steady voice. "Do you have to give the University her answer today?"

Patrick's eyebrows rose. "No," He replied hesitantly. "I don't have to get back to the program's director until next week."

Jax ran his hand over the hair on his chin, preparing himself, before looking Patrick directly in the eyes. "Good. When you do, you're going to tell him that Jolene accepted the scholarship."

Jax saw the whites of Patrick's eyes as they bulged out of his head. When he finally spoke, he stuttered, "But, but, Jolene said—"

"I don't give a flying fuck what she told you." Jax said emphatically. " _I'M_ telling you that she's taking the scholarship and she's going to San Diego."

Seeing the emotion in his eyes, Patrick finally came to understand Jax's meaning. _He really does care about her_.

Ever since Patrick had been made aware by Jolene herself that she was Jax Teller's old lady, he had felt sorry for her. Although a pretty boy, Teller was just a typical biker, with a reputation that preceded him in many areas. He was a known hot head prone to violence, a criminal with the record to prove it, and a well-known womanizer of epic proportions. He would never be faithful, never treat Jolene with the respect she deserved, and probably had no consideration or understanding of her need to succeed as a teacher.

The MC world wasn't what one would call progressive when it came to feminist ideals. Women were treated like chattel, to be traded and bartered on a whim. The "lucky" ones were considered property and, if Patrick were prone to believe idle gossip without actually bearing witness, Aunt Luann had informed him that Jolene had not only been branded with Teller's crow, but with a "Property of" tattoo as well. It was just another unfair conundrum Patrick failed to understand about women like Jolene. How does a beautiful woman, with well-above average intelligence, come to the realization that her heart, mind, body, and soul are safe in the hands of the prototypical bad boy? But at this moment Patrick realized that the outlaw biker sitting before him, who didn't have to work very hard at scaring the crap out of him, had genuine feelings for the woman he called his "old lady." This man truly loved Jolene Morrow enough to let her go.

Patrick cleared his throat twice before speaking. "I understand, but how are you going to get Jolene to—"

"Leave that to me."

Patrick contemplated the determination on Jax's face, coupled with something that could be classified as hurt, if he believed bikers were capable of such emotions. Standing up, Patrick offered his hand to Jax. "I'll put everything in motion."

Taking his hand, Jax stood up and shook it. "One more thing." He started, his no-nonsense, pissed-off biker countenance firmly in place again. "Keep your big mouth shut. No one is to know that this deal is still on the table, especially Jolene. Got it?"

Patrick nodded and moved towards the door, almost expecting Teller to punch him in the back of the head for good measure. Leaving the hospital with almost a spring in his step, Patrick was glad that Jolene would be going to San Diego after all. But, as he approached his car, he had a vague premonition that Jax Teller was not going to get rid of Jolene Morrow quite so easily.

* * *

Jax opened the door to Jolene's darkened room. Although it was early afternoon, with the blinds drawn tight, the only light came from the television perched on a platform hanging from the ceiling across from her bed. On the screen was the image of Tony Soprano silently getting whacked in the face with a hot cast-iron skillet as the TV was on mute. Jolene was lying on her side, her back to the door. Although she appeared to be asleep, Jax knew the room was too cold for her to be comfortable as she was curled up into a tight ball and was burrowed as deep as she could get under the thin hospital blankets. It was only when she shivered slightly that Jax realized that she might be awake.

"Hey, darlin'," Jax almost whispered, in case she was in fact asleep. "You awake?"

Turning toward the sound of her old man's voice, Jolene smiled sleepily. "Hey, baby."

Jax made his way across the room. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, I was just dozing a little. Come over here. I'm cold." Jolene scooted to the side of the bed, holding the blanket up and making room for Jax to climb in. Sliding in next to her, Jax wrapped his arms around her as she fisted her hand in his hair and kissed him tenderly.

Jolene sighed contentedly as she snuggled up against Jax's chest. Although the doctor had prescribed her a sedative last night, sleep evaded her and had been anything but peaceful when she had finally passed out. As a matter of fact, she'd had a restless night, tossing and turning. Her anxiety had been off the charts as she knew that her father, Jax, and their brothers were out there risking their lives in order to track down the dirtbag responsible for the attack. However, seeing Jax relatively unscathed had quickly put her mind at ease. Having Jax hold her in his arms seemed to be just what the doctor ordered as she fought to keep her heavy, suddenly very sleepy eyes from closing.

Even though her mind was racing with a million questions, Jolene was hesitant to ask Jax if they had been successful. She wanted to hear good news, that it was finally over, and that they could finally begin the healing process and move on, but she also wanted to enjoy this moment of pure bliss in his arms, in case the night had not gone as planned.

Inhaling the sweet scent of her hair, Jax pressed a kiss on the top of her head. "We got him darlin'." He started softly. "After today, it's almost like he never existed and we'll never have to mention his name again."

A wave of relief swept over Jolene as she hugged Jax tightly. "Thank God." Jolene replied in an equally hushed tone. "It's finally over."

Pulling herself out of his embrace, Jolene sat up, the smile falling from her lips as she caught the look in his eyes. _Holy shit._ "What? What happened?" Jolene demanded.

Jax tried to settle Jolene back into his arms, but she wouldn't budge. "Tell me." She insisted.

"We're okay, Jo. Everyone's whole, but we got some bad news and I'm going to need you to be strong, baby."

Jolene trembled once and then nodded fiercely. "Tell me." She said again.

"Tracking Whistler down to Darby's place was easy enough. He knew exactly why we were there. He tried to put up a fight at first, but after we subdued him, he resigned himself to a fate of his own making." Jax looked into Jolene's eyes. "Whistler wasn't acting alone when he came after us, darlin' and now that he knew he was as good as dead, he wasn't going alone. He was quick to drop the dime on his accomplice, the one who gave him the necessary Intel so that he could track us from Lake Tahoe and be in a position to take me out. This person was the one riding the motorcycle that Whistler used to get away . . . It was someone in SAMCRO, Jo."

At first, Jolene thought she heard wrong. She was shaking her head as the shock started to set in, quickly followed by extreme anger. "Kyle Hobart?" Jolene looked at Jax disbelievingly as he nodded, not at all surprised that she quickly made the connection to Kyle. " _Kyle fuckin' Hobart_? Why?"

Jax and Clay had decided that it would be best not to give Jolene the full magnitude of Kyle's treachery. Only the basics were necessary for her to understand where this revelation would be taking the Club.

"Apparently, the plan was to eliminate the two people he believed stood between him and the Presidency." Jax scowled.

Jolene was so taken aback that she was actually speechless. She had always known that Kyle was a no-good worthless piece of shit. Not only was the coward so lacking in loyalty and honor, but he didn't even have the stones to pull the trigger himself. He had to farm the job out to another worthless piece of shit because Kyle Hobart was nothing but a weak and spineless idiot.

"Please tell me he's dead. Tell me that the man who tried to kill _you_ , who planned on killing _my father_ has been ground to fuckin' dust." Jolene demanded, on the verge of tears.

Feeling the same shocked horror and disgusted hatred he had when they had arrived at the Clubhouse only to find Kyle gone, Jax shook his head with a clenched jaw. "I'm sorry, darlin'. I can't. It looks like he's gone under."

Seeing Jolene's beautiful wide eyes grow vacant with fear, Jax said angrily, "When we revealed who the shooter was at Church, Kyle must have realized that he would soon be exposed, so he bolted while we were out looking for Whistler. By the time we had the proof that he was involved and contacted Piney back at the Clubhouse, Kyle had already disappeared."

Jolene slowly let herself fall back into Jax's arms. As he squeezed her tight, Jolene realized that until Kyle Hobart was found and dealt with, this would be the safest she'd ever feel again, locked up in a guarded room with her old man's arms wrapped around her.

"Things are going to be tough for a while, darlin', until we find him, but we _will_ find him." Jax promised. "I swear to you, he is going to pay for everything that he's done." He stroked her back as she trembled and Jax suddenly realized that Jolene was crying.

She was scared and he couldn't blame her, couldn't deny her that emotion by trying to comfort her with words, so he held on tight as she cut loose. The Club, the one constant in her life that had always been there to protect her and love her, the only family she had ever known, had turned on her. Sure, Kyle was only one member and Jolene didn't know the depths of his depravity, but it still had to hurt. That kind of treachery reflected poorly on every member of SAMCRO, at least until he was caught and dealt with. An MC was like a sovereign nation, a law unto itself. Treason was punishable by death, but Jax was sure that even the extremely painful and drawn out death of Kyle Hobart would never be enough for him to feel at ease with Jolene by his side as his old lady.

Clay was right. He had been selfish to keep her from going to San Diego and giving Jolene her ring back had been a mistake, but he loved her and couldn't imagine his life without her. Even worse, Jax couldn't imagine a world without her in it. The mere thought of her not surviving this act of treason was enough to bring him to his fucking knees. As long as they were together, Jax knew Jolene would never be safe. In spite of everything's she's been through, and was still going through, Jax knew Jolene would not hesitate to risk her life again for him. She loved him as fiercely and as blindly as he loved her. He couldn't continue putting her in harm's way. _He_ had been Whistler's and Kyle's intended target and Jolene was to be used as a means to make him suffer further until they were both dead. As her old man, it was up to him to make sure that no one ever got the chance to use her against him like that again.

Jax gently pushed her away and, cupping her face in his hands, he lovingly thumbed her tears off her flushed cheeks.

"I'm gonna make this right, darlin' and then I'm gonna make sure nothing like this ever happens again. _I promise_."

Jolene could see the self-loathing in his eyes. He blamed himself and was making promises his lifestyle didn't allow for and this terrified her.

Jax Teller didn't make promises he had no intention of keeping.

* * *

_I'm losing my damn mind!_

It was 8:45 and Jolene was still in bed, alone. Jolene lay on her back impatiently watching the clock and desperately wishing she had the power of telekinesis to move the time to 9:00 a.m. so that she could finally be free at last.

To say that Jolene was finding her enforced imprisonment difficult to bear was an understatement of major proportions. When Dr. Negron had finally given her the news that she was way too healthy to be a resident at St. Thomas, she had been overjoyed at the idea of going home.

_I should have known better._

Thinking that she would finally be able to go back to her little love nest to be with her old man for some quality recuperation time, Clay had quickly moved to nip that idea in the bud, and it didn't help that he was backed up to the hilt by Mother Gemma. Before she knew what hit her, her father had quickly agreed with Dr. Negron's suggestion that it was in Jolene's best interest for her convalescence to be monitored closely and that the best solution would be for Jolene to return to her parents' home for the foreseeable future.

Clay took Dr. Negron's _suggestion_ and had swiftly turned it into a lockdown. _Inmates have more freedom than I do._ Her father was basically afraid to let her breathe on her own. _He'd probably do that for me too if I let him_ , she thought snarkily.

It didn't help matters when, instead of throwing a major fit and exercising his rights over _his_ old lady's welfare as she _knew_ he would, Jax agreed with Clay, receding into the background and letting Clay take over as if she had never left his house and his jurisdiction over four years ago.

And this morning had been no different than the last. _And all the days before that_. Although Jax had moved in with her as was his right as her old man and now fiancé, every day it seemed like he waited until as late as possible before joining her in bed and as soon as the sun came up, he would make some excuse and leave as quickly as he could. And a little part of her was glad.

_I'm getting real tired of this shit._

Jolene was getting angrier and angrier when she heard the long strides of her father coming down the hallway to her old bedroom. _Thank God_ , she thought as she saw that the clock had finally reached 9:00.

Clay tapped lightly on the bedroom door before opening it to reveal his baby girl. Every time he saw her, his heart tightened in his chest when he thought about how close he had come to losing her.

"Hey, kid." He walked over to Jolene and sat next to her on the bed. "How'd you sleep?"

Jolene looked at her father, saw the love and concern in his eyes, and tried to pull herself off the ledge. "I'm okay. I'm a little tired though."

 _Oh, that was a mistake_ , Jolene mentally face-palmed herself as soon as the words left her mouth.

Clay anxiously stood up. "Maybe we should take you back to see the Doc today, instead of at the end of the week. You know, I still think we should have gotten a real nurse. You need help and—"

"NO!" Jolene shouted, losing patience. "I do NOT need a nurse. What I need is for you and everyone around me to stop _hovering_."

Seeing the hurt look in the eyes of the hard-as-nails biker, Jolene pulled back on what surely would have been an epic meltdown. "Dad, I know you love me, and I can only imagine what it was like for you to go through this, but I'm going to be fine." She opened her arms and her father knelt down to wrap his arms around her. It was like being mauled by a bear, and she loved it, every single time.

Jolene pulled back from her father's embrace and looked into his eyes. "I'm feeling perfectly fine and I'm recuperating right on schedule. I don't need a full time nurse. Neeta has been wonderful and I feel comfortable with her. You wouldn't want me to be around more strangers, would you?"

Clay sighed. When Jolene put it like that, he realized that she had a point. After discovering the events that led up to her shooting, namely that the attempted assassination plot had been instigated by a member of SAMCRO, Clay had done everything possible to keep Jolene well under wraps and under guard. Only recently had she been allowed to have visitors, and even then those visits were confined to family and close friends. Having a stranger around, even one that was supposed to help his daughter, might be more trouble than it was worth.

"Okay," Clay relented as Jolene beamed up at him. "But remember our deal. You stay in bed." He pointed a ringed-finger at her. "You get me?"

"I gets." Jolene smiled as her father gave her his standard kiss on the forehead, stood up, and walked towards the door. "When will you be home?" She inquired innocently.

"Around dinner time." Clay advised. "Behave yourself."

"I will." Jolene replied.

As Jolene heard the front door slam and the roar of her father's bike peal out of the driveway, she smiled, threw back the covers and leapt out of bed.

_Not!_

* * *

Neeta was humming to herself as she stood by the stove in Gemma's kitchen. The sun was shining and it was a gorgeous day. Neeta had just finished making her famous pancake batter and had placed it on the counter near the stove when she heard the sound of feet dashing down the carpeted staircase.

"Take it easy, now. You fall down them stairs and I'll be looking for a new job." She called out. _That's if I'm still alive_ , Neeta thought seriously, as Jolene practically skipped into the room.

"Oh, my God! Tell me you're making pancakes." Jolene chortled as she gave Neeta a little hug from behind, as Neeta bobbed her head up and down. "You are the greatest. You spoil me rotten."

"I know, and I better not catch hell over it either." Neeta replied, shaking her head. "I still don't know how I ended up participating in this charade. Hmph! Getting me to do stuff I know damn well I shouldn't do." Neeta pointed a finger in Jolene's direction. "You know, you are just like—"

"If you know what's good for you, you won't finish that sentence." Jolene threatened with wide green eyes as she leaned back against the kitchen counter. "It is _way_ too early for you to be messing with me, Miss Neeta Benson, especially since I haven't had my morning cup of coffee yet." Jolene chastised, giving Neeta the stink-eye.

"Well, don't just stand there, then. The pot's right over there. You may have gotten yourself shot in the chest, but your hands work just fine. Go fix yourself a cup."

Grateful that Neeta refused to treat her with kid gloves, like she was a fragile porcelain figurine, Jolene laughed. "Okay, but come sit with me. I'll fix you a cup, too."

Jolene crossed the kitchen to the counter and, grabbing two mugs, poured the rich black coffee she loved and could only drink when her father wasn't around. He insisted she drink decaf only as too much caffeine could cause palpitations. Sitting at the table wearing nothing but a pair of ratty old cargo pants and one of Jax's t-shirts, she watched as Neeta plopped herself down in the chair across from her.

"How long you think you can get away with this?" Neeta said, waving up at the ceiling and then at Jolene. "One of these days Clay or Gemma is going to come home early and find your butt down here when you're supposed to be in bed." She nodded towards the kitchen window at the two Sons currently on guard duty. "Or those guys out there will drop the dime on you to Clay."

"I'll deal with it when that happens. Until then, you're just gonna have to get used to me shadowing you around. I can't stand being trapped up there anymore. Too much alone-time equals too much time to think." Jolene replied softly.

Neeta sighed. Jolene had gone through a lot in the last few weeks. It's not every day that you witness your old man getting shot and then face your own death. It has to take an emotional toll, but with everyone so concerned about her physical well-being, no one seemed to notice that Jolene was only a shade of the woman she used to be.

The entire family had been in a state of shock and only now seemed to be recovering, but even as someone who was not fully in the inner circle, Neeta could see that some of the members of Jolene's extended family in particular were having a difficult time dealing with the aftermath of the attack and, as a result, it was having a negative effect on Jolene as well.

 _That's not going to help her recovery_ , Neeta thought worriedly. _It's time to take this girl in hand._

Neeta stirred her coffee. "What's troubling you, girl?"

Jolene avoided meeting Neeta's eyes as she sipped her coffee and replied, "Nothing."

Neeta leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed over her ample bosom. "You don't really expect me to believe that, do you?"

Jolene imitated Neeta, crossing her arms over her chest. "No, I guess not."

"You know, as long as I've known you, I've never taken you to be the type to hide from a problem. You usually face them head on, so don't start acting like an ostrich now. Hiding your head in the sand isn't going to make your situation any better."

Suddenly, with her father's New York roots taking hold, Jolene exploded and she cut loose on Neeta like a disgruntled yellow cab driver. "Everybody's driving me freakin' nuts around here! I know everyone's concerned about me and I'm grateful for it, I really am, but _holy shit, really?_! It's so overwhelming! Gem and Dad—everyone at the Club—are _constantly_ checking up on me, like I'm gonna suddenly stop breathing or something and you know what? I can't fuckin' breathe! If it wasn't for the fact that the garage needed to be run they would never crawl out of my ass!"

_Meanwhile, Jax is going out of his way to avoid me day_ _and_ _night._

Neeta put a hand on Jolene's shoulder to calm her down before the two bikers outside came in to check on them. "Your family loves you. That's generally considered to be a good thing, you know." As Jolene rolled her eyes, Neeta nodded. "Yes, it can seem a little oppressive to have that kind love and concern 24/7, but your father almost lost you. One day, when you have children of your own, you'll understand that kind of fierce love where you will do anything and everything to protect your babies and keep them safe."

Neeta got up to refresh their coffee. "I've seen your father on the edge about you before," Neeta shivered a little as she briefly relived getting caught in the cross hairs of a Jolene-inspired confrontation between Gemma and Clay several years ago. "But this time, you nearly broke him, little girl, so even though it may be difficult, you need to cut him some slack." Neeta paused, considered, and then continued. "And while you're at it, you need to cut your old man some slack, too."

Jolene looked at Neeta with a raised eyebrow. Jolene had been on the verge of buying what Neeta was selling, that is, until she mentioned a certain Jackson Teller.

"Old man, what old man? I don't have an old man." Jolene spit out angrily.

 _Uh, huh_. Neeta nodded. _Now we're getting to the meat of it._

"What's that supposed to mean?" Neeta challenged as she sat down again, hoping to get Jolene a little angrier. She succeeded.

"What I mean," Jolene snapped, "Is that ever since I was released from St. Thomas, Jax has been treating me like I don't exist. He comes in late and leaves early. It's like he doesn't want to be around me. He treats me like I'm a damn leper."

_He might as well since I look like one._

Neeta nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I'm no shrink, but I think it's pretty obvious what he's going through. Honey, he's dealing with some serious survivor's guilt. You took two bullets in the chest that were meant for him and you almost didn't live to tell about it. That's not an easy thing to recover from."

"That may be part of it," Jolene said sadly. "But it's not all, I'm sure. Before I got discharged, Dr. Negron cleared me. _Completely_ cleared me."

"And?" Neeta asked intentionally nonchalant.

" _And_ he said we could resume our normal activities, a/k/a banging me on the regular, and the regular for us was at least two or three times _a day_." Jolene nodded as Neeta gave her a surprised, wide-eyed stare. "But we haven't. He hasn't even tried. Not once, and can I blame him? Look at me." Jolene said, her voice suddenly quavering. She lifted up her t-shirt to reveal a long, angry red scar in the center of her chest. With a stream of tears running down her face, Jolene said brokenly, "Why would he want to be with me, when I look like this?"

Neeta stared at the scar and there was no way to sugar-coat it, it wasn't pretty, but Neeta had never known Jolene to be vain. As a matter of fact, she always seemed to be pretty unaffected by how most people treated her because of her looks. In her mind, only one person really mattered. The only person she primped and preened for was for Jax Teller. Neeta realized that Jolene's confidence was at an all-time low and she needed to be snapped out of it and the only one that could do that was her old man.

"Are you trying to tell me that you believe Jax to be so shallow that after you took two in the chest for him, he's trying to kick you to the curb because he doesn't like the way you look anymore?" Neeta said derisively.

Jolene knew where Neeta was going. "No, but—"

"Don't 'but' me, little girl. There is no but. That man loves you. Everyone in Charming knows how much he loves you. It's not exactly a secret." Neeta retorted. "So if he's avoiding you, there is a reason and I don't think it has anything to do with that scar on your chest. At the very least, he's probably just nervous about touching you being that you were in a delicate state for such a long time. But you know what? Sitting around, coming up with reasons why isn't doing either one of you any good, so maybe what you need to do is get up off your butt, go find your man, and get the why out of him."

Jolene stared at Neeta for a long time. Wiping her face with her hands Jolene said, "But he's at the Clubhouse." _With my dad._ "And so's my car."

Neeta reached for her handbag, pulled out a set of keys, and laid them on the kitchen table. "I'm sure you won't have a problem convincing those two guys out there to escort you to the Clubhouse."

Neeta got up from the kitchen table. "I have some laundry to do. I guess I'll be very surprised when I come back and find my keys _and_ my car missing." She looked at Jolene. "Plausible deniability, don't you know. Oh, and I would really appreciate you leaving your lead foot at home. That's the only ride I have."

As Neeta headed toward the laundry room, she found herself being hugged fiercely from behind and turned to see Jolene running up the stairs.

_Good, a woman's got to put on her war paint when she's going to do battle with her man._

* * *

After Indian Hills, Jax had fought on behalf of the Club only a handful of other times. He had always won, too, bringing home several large purses, but had never pursued fighting regularly because he knew Jolene would have a fit. For the times he had fought, though, Jax had trained extensively with Chibs. In addition to Jolene worrying about him getting seriously hurt, training was another reason why he didn't make fighting his regular gig. Those punishing training sessions usually left him too spent and drained to properly take care of his girl. Jolene hated it as he had definitely created a monster and she was just as insatiable as he was. Recently, though, looking for a way to exhaust himself physically, and when not out following any possible lead on Kyle's location, Jax was out of the house bright and early and training once again with Chibs at the Clubhouse. Even though he wasn't currently gearing up for a fight, Chibs' training protocol called for a ban on weed, booze, and pussy. Giving up the weed and the booze was easy enough.

The pussy was proving to be a little harder than anticipated.

Jax loved Jolene and sleeping in the same bed with her every night since she came out of the hospital was pure torture. _Especially_ since Dr. Negron had given her the all-clear to resume a normal sex life. If he hadn't, Jax knew that, even though it would have been equally as hard to abstain, at least he would know that it was for her own good. But knowing that he could have her whenever he wanted and chose not to was driving him crazy. Hence, that's why he'd taken up training for fights once again. Nothing worked off raging sexual tension like beating a punching bag, or a prospect, for three to four hours a day. Scratch that. That wasn't true. Vigorous, crazy, ankles-behind-her-ears kind of sex was the best way to work off raging sexual tension, but since he was determined to deny himself, as well as his old lady that pleasure, throwing punches at a scared shitless prospect would have to do.

Once or twice, Jax had considered taking a croweater back to his old dorm. Quickly pulling himself back from that ledge, he knew he couldn't do that to Jolene. Besides, it wasn't so much the sex itself that he was craving, but sex with his old lady in particular. Anything else would be a cheap substitute and not worth hurting Jolene for. He knew how most of the croweaters at the Clubhouse felt about her. Any one of them would sell their own mothers to a donkey show in order to be the one to walk up to Jolene and say "I fucked your old man."

Jax knew it was coming, though. The time when he could no longer deny himself being with his old lady was definitely coming. Spring was a long ways away. If he even managed to convince her to take the scholarship, it would be months before she had to leave. And even though he knew it would be a stupid mistake, which would only make letting go later that much harder, he knew he was reaching his breaking point. Kyle was still AWOL and until he was found and dealt with, Jax wasn't letting Jolene go anywhere anyway, scholarship or no. Jolene was getting stronger and healthier everyday and the way she looked at him whenever he entered the room told him she was just as ready for him as he was for her.

Jax had thought about moving into the Clubhouse and away from Jolene in the interim, but he was too weak to even do that. If he couldn't make love to her, the least he could do was sleep with her, but even that logic failed to make sense to Jax and he knew he was only tempting fate. It only had to happen one time, he'd only have to give in to his weakness one time and make love to her and he knew there would be no way to throw on the brakes after that. So for now, the fear of losing what little control he had over the situation was enough to keep him from acting on his impulses. But Jax knew the time was coming. He could feel it in his bones, or rather, his boner. Shit, he was like a thirteen year old all over again whenever he was around her.

Jax was in the midst of pounding a prospect in the ribs when a thought occurred to him. He could be frustrated and longing for his old lady because she had not survived that terrible night. He couldn't decide whether he should be grateful that he had the choice to remain frustrated and horny or if he was the biggest asshole in the world. Not many people got the second chance to be with the one they loved after something so horrific and here he was throwing his second chance away.

Yeah, maybe it was time for him to move into the Clubhouse.

* * *

Jolene was not happy.

For the past three hours, she had been locked in her room, primping and trimming and waxing, and she still wasn't satisfied with the results. She had washed and conditioned her hair, making sure it would be soft and shiny after she styled it, had moisturized her skin from head to toe with a perfumed body lotion, and had taken her time applying make up to make it seem like she wasn't wearing any. Still, when Jolene went to get dressed, nothing fit her properly and she spent most of her time trying to disguise the fact that she had lost 15 pounds while in the hospital and was now the skinniest she's ever been.

Along with the weight, Jolene had lost the curvy softness that made a woman a woman, at least as far as Jax was concerned. He liked a little meat on her bones and she wasn't sure how he'd react to being able to count her ribs and see her hip bones protruding.

And then there was the scar.

Nothing she owned, aside from turtlenecks, would completely cover it up and wearing one in July was just plain ridiculous. Taking a page from Gemma's book, Jolene decided to own it. After squeezing herself into a black and red push-up bra, Jolene threw on a white fitted blouse, hoping to distract from the scar with her rack on display. Slipping into a tight, black lycra mini-skirt, which clung to her ass while conveniently forgetting her underwear, Jolene jumped into her 4-inch Fendi platform booties. The skirt was short enough and the shoes high enough to make it seem like her legs stretched for miles, even if they had lost their golden hue after being kept indoors for so long.

Taking one last look in the mirror, Jolene fingered her scar still slightly visible even though her breasts were squeezed together and resting practically under her chin. Who was she kidding? Even if he did want her, Jolene knew she would probably never be able to have sex again without covering her chest. She was just wasting her time.

Jolene was about to jump into her cargo pants and t-shirt again when she caught a glimpse of her engagement ring. Neeta was right. Jax loved her. All the promises he had whispered to her on the night of their engagement as he made love to her had to count for something.

Grabbing Neeta's keys from the table, Jolene headed outside and strutted down the driveway towards the gunmetal gray Honda Civic. Distracted by the luminous skin on an incredible pair of stems, Kozik wondered who was the hot chick that had just left the Teller-Morrow house and how the hell did she manage to get in without him noticing in the first place.

"Oh shit!" Juice called out. "That's Jolene."

"What the fuck?" Kozik was shocked.

Both Juice and Kozik dashed down the driveway and across the street just as Jolene was about to jump into the car.

"Whoa, whoa, wait, sweetheart." Kozik wasn't prepared for the intense determination in those gorgeous green eyes as she turned and fixed them on him. "Where do you think you're going? I'm not looking to die at the hands of your old man today, so back inside. Come on, give me them keys."

Jolene pulled her hand holding the keys out of his reach.

"No." Jolene replied simply to the utter and complete shock of the Tacoma charter's SAA. "I'm going to the Clubhouse and you two," She looked from Kozik to Juice and back again. "Are my escorts."

"Why, Jolene? Why do you want us dead?" Juice pleaded, still not fully recovered from the ass reaming Jax had dished out for letting Patrick Doyle into her room at the hospital.

Jolene put her hand on her hip and Kozik tried to convince himself that he was being distracted by the locket around her neck and not that incredible rack winking at him through the opened buttons on her shirt.

"I have business that needs taking care of at the Clubhouse," Jolene replied, leaving no room for argument. "So unless your plan is to tackle me to the ground and wrestle these keys from my fist, of which I have two, by the way, and I am not afraid to throw a punch, just ask Juicy, your best bet would be to get on your bikes and follow me down to T-M."

"You're killing me here." Kozik responded.

"Trust me, if everything goes as planned, the last thing on my old man's mind will be kicking your ass." Jolene said knowingly.

"What about Clay?" Juice asked.

"You're on your own with my dad, although you can probably make a run for it while he's wringing my neck."

Kozik shook his head. "Just give me the keys."

"Fuck you."

"Okay. I tried." Kozik threw his hands up and headed to his bike.

"I thought we were friends, Jo." Juice said as he turned to follow Kozik.

"We're not." Jolene smiled. "We're family and family's always there for you when you need 'em."

* * *

Opie was sitting on the picnic table outside the Clubhouse, watching as Chibs patched up the latest prospect unfortunate enough to step into a ring with Jax, when the Honda pealed into the parking lot followed by two Sons on bikes.

"Oh shit!" Opie laughed as he nudged Chibs.

Smiling, Chibs nodded, "It's 'bout time."

Jolene stepped out of the car and slammed the door shut as Kozik and Juice pulled into their spots in the long line of bikes parked near the garage. Watching her strut towards the Clubhouse as he headed towards the garage, Tig stopped dead in his tracks and pulled his sunglasses off.

"Doll Face?"

"Hey, Tig." Jolene smiled, not stopping. "Seen Jax?"

"Lucky bastard was gonna hit the shower." Tig called out after her, enjoying the view going as much as he did coming.

Jolene stopped in front of the picnic table, quirking an eyebrow at Opie. "What happened?" She asked, indicating the prospect that had helped her the day she and Gemma had gone shopping for Jax's party.

"Your ol' man, that's wah happened." Chibs smirked as he stuffed tissue up the poor prospect's nose in hopes of stopping the blood flow.

"It's good seeing you up and about." Opie smiled.

"It's good to be seen up and about." Jolene smiled back.

"I hope you're here to take care of your ol' man, luvvie, before he finally manages to kill one of my prospects." Chibs teased.

"That's the plan." Jolene replied. "Jax training for a fight?"

Opie shook his head. "Only fight he's fighting is with himself, Jo. I'm glad you're here."

Jolene nodded. "I just hope he is, too." She headed towards the Clubhouse.

"He's an arsehole if he's not, luvvie!" Chibs called out after her.

* * *

Turning off the water, Jax stepped out of the shower and started to dry himself off. His skin was flaming red from the extreme heat of the water he had needed for his sore muscles. In spite of how bone-weary he felt, his mind never grew tired and always wandered back to the sole reason he was punishing himself physically.

Jolene.

He missed her. Even if he had to keep her at arm's length, Jax was determined to go see her, spend some time with her. He knew he was just opening himself up to questions he wasn't prepared to answer, but maybe he could manage to bring up San Diego and the scholarship.

Wrapping a large towel around his middle, Jax grabbed a smaller one and rubbed it through his hair as he left the bathroom and stepped into his dorm. Draping the towel around his neck, Jax stopped in mid-stride, almost convinced he was hallucinating.

Jolene was stretched out on her side across his bed, her hand holding up her head as her long legs dangled off the side. He saw her sharp intake of breath as their eyes connected, a slight smile playing on her full, pink lips.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Hey, baby." Jolene almost whispered as she ran her hand through her thick hair, pushing it away from her face.

Jax was transfixed as he swallowed hard, his jaw clenched. _Holy shit!_ It was almost like his intense longing had manifested itself into the object of his desire. Except that Jolene was real, soft flesh and hot-blooded real.

She looked incredible. A little skinny, but fucking gorgeous nonetheless.

Jax licked lips suddenly gone dry. "Hey, darlin'."

He knew it. He knew this moment was coming. Jolene Morrow was the type of woman that went after what she wanted. In spite of everything, Jax smiled to himself as he experienced a vague feeling of deja vu. He'd been in this situation with Jolene before, except she was 17 and drunk and they had been arguing in an alley outside a nightclub in Oakland. She later called it taking a stubborn-ass bull by the horns. Jax remembered it as the best thing that could ever have happened to him. Pitching a jealousy-fueled fit that night had scored him the love of a lifetime. How could he even think about letting her go?

 _She almost died because of me,_ Jax thought bitterly, _that's how._

It suddenly dawned on Jax that he had been going about this the wrong way. She would never leave as long as she loved him. He would have to change that.

It killed him a little inside, but Jax turned his back on her and sat at the foot of the bed. He was a coward. He didn't want to see the hurt on her face when he asked, "What are you doing here?"

He heard the slight quiver in her breath as she exhaled, but he was unprepared for her voice thick with tears when she spoke. "Isn't it obvious?"

Jax squeezed his eyes tight as he rubbed his forehead. "If Clay finds you here, I'm gonna catch hell."

"Really? You're going to use my father as an excuse to push me away further, Jax?" Jolene said angrily.

"You need to go back home, Jolene."

"If by home you mean my father's house, that's not my home, Jax. My home is wherever you are and right now my home is right here."

"Then as your old man, I'm telling you, you need to go back to your father's house. _Now_."

Jolene chuckled bitterly. "You've never pulled the old man card on me before." Jax felt the bed dip as she climbed off.

"You never gave me a reason to."

"Me wanting to make love with you is a reason?" Jolene stood between Jax's legs and cradled his face in her hands, brushing his damp hair away from his eyes. He was looking up at her with beautiful, sad eyes and Jolene knew the answer to her question even before she asked it. Neeta may be right. The pain and the guilt were practically rolling off of him in waves. "Jax, baby. What's the matter? Why are you pushing me away?"

Jax closed his eyes and inhaled her beautiful scent. As if acting of their own free will, his arms wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her towards him. With his head resting against her breast, he could hear the thud-thud of her heart and was grateful that she couldn't see his face as he lied.

"I don't know what you're talking about, darlin'. I'm not pushing you away." He replied softly.

With her delicate fingers against his hairy chin, Jolene forced his head up. "Look at me and say that."

He couldn't.

"Can we talk about this later?" Jax pushed her away gently. "I have a late night run to Oak-Town on tap tonight after Church and I wanna get some sleep."

He got up from the bed and even though he had laid out his clothes, including his underwear, he looked hesitant to drop the towel and get dressed in front of Jolene.

"Can I take a nap with you then?" Jolene asked quietly, almost feeling the sting of rejection even before he opened his mouth to speak. She wanted him, but if all he was willing to give her was to hold her in his arms while she slept, she'd take it.

"I don't think that's a good idea, darlin'." Jax said, unsure if he had said the words out loud until he saw a lone tear escape the corner of her eye and run down her face.

 _Yeah, that stung_ , Jolene thought bitterly.

In spite of her pride, Jolene decided that she needed to hear him say, once and for all, what she knew in her heart was coming.

"Dr. Negron cleared me for all sorts of activities a couple of weeks ago, Jax," She started. "Including sex."

"I know."

Finally letting go of her pride in what seemed like a whoosh of air escaping her lungs, Jolene blurted, "I want you, Jax and I want you to make love to me."

Jax closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. _Fuck!_ He thought. _I want that too, baby, but I can't._

Swallowing the torrent of tears threatening to fall, Jolene felt a sudden wave of shame as she misinterpreted his reluctance and the grimace on his face. "Shit, I'm sorry. You must think I look like the Bride of Frankenstein with this horrible scar on my chest."

"Jo, no." Jax started towards her, but Jolene pulled away.

"I'm not naïve, Jax. I've seen myself in the mirror." Shaking her head, Jolene picked up her handbag. "I'm sorry. I should've known." Jolene headed towards the door, muttering under her breath about being damaged goods.

Seeing red, Jax practically ran across the room and slammed the door shut before she could leave. Pushing her face first into the door, Jax nuzzled her neck.

"Don't ever say that again." He breathed against her ear. Against his better judgment, Jax started kissing her neck, forcing Jolene to breathe fast and heavy as his hands found and cupped her breasts through her fitted shirt.

Turning her around, Jax ripped open her blouse and lovingly dropped kisses from her collar bone down to the scar, still vivid and angry, almost near the center of the valley of her breasts.

"You're beautiful, darlin'." He breathed against her skin. "You will always be a work of art."

Grabbing a fistful of his hair, Jolene pulled his head back, forcing him to look into her eyes. "I don't want your pity, Jax."

Searching her face with a furrowed brow, Jax said, "What I feel for you, darlin', can never be mistaken as pity." Nuzzling her neck again, Jax dropped the towel draped around his waist. Jolene gasped as he brought her hand to wrap itself around his stiff cock. "This is me each and every time we so much as share the same air space, Jolene." His mouth was hungry and demanding on hers, with Jolene responding in kind.

Making love to her was a mistake, making the pain of letting go only that much worse for the both of them later. Jax knew it was wrong, but he fucking loved her so much. She was so soft and warm in his arms and she was alive! He had nearly lost her six weeks ago, setting the course for him to lose her again in the very near future, but at this moment, he was done denying himself and Jolene the physical expression of the love they had for each other.

Jax pulled her skirt up and smiled against her mouth as he realized that she wasn't wearing panties. "You came prepared. Gotta love a woman who knows what she wants."

"And I've only ever wanted you, baby." Jolene said, before tugging on his bottom lip with her teeth as she fisted her hands in his hair.

Picking her up, Jax wrapped her legs around his waist as he simultaneously kissed and carried her to the bed. Gently laying her on her back, Jax wasted no time and entered her slick, moist heat.

"Oh God," Jolene sighed against his ear as she moved her hips in rhythm with his. "Jax?"

"What is it, baby?" Jax closed his eyes as her soft moaning sent delicious shivers up and down his spine.

Jolene gasped, feeling the first rumblings of an orgasm building. "Do you still love me?"

Jax pulled himself up and looked her in the eyes. "Still? I never stopped. I will love you forever, darlin'." It wasn't a lie and he wanted her to know that. He _needed_ her to know that.

In spite of what he was going to do to her, to _them_ , he needed her to know that he did it _only_ because he loved her.

* * *

Hale and Unser pulled up in their respective vehicles in front of the Teller-Morrow residence. It was a large, two-story home sitting on a full acre with a mid-sized greenhouse at the back of the property.

 _The outlaw life sure does pay well_ , Hale thought as he stepped out of his Jeep Wrangler and strode up the front walk.

Unser, trailing behind him, caught up with Hale before he reached the house and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Now let's get something straight, Fly Boy." Unser said sharply. "I'm the Chief here, so I'll be conducting the interview. There will be no flying off the handle and no unfounded accusations. This family has gone through enough and I don't want to put them through any more."

Hale shook his head harshly as he stared at Unser. "Interview? This is a joke. You're so far up Clay's ass that you probably know what brand of mouthwash he uses." Hale was convinced that Unser knew everything concerning the attack, as well as the Club's efforts to locate the shooter.

And he would be correct.

While Unser didn't know the full details, Clay had apprised him that the threat of a Mayan-Son war was a non-issue and that the town did not have to worry about any retaliation from the Mayans or from Jolene's attackers. Unser knew Clay wouldn't tell him everything, but he was smart enough to read between the lines. All the Club wanted now was for this issue to be put to bed and he agreed.

 _Just settle Captain America down_ , Clay told him, _a_ _nd let SAMCRO get back to the business at hand._

Unser looked at Hale with hard eyes. "You don't have to be here, boy. I can handle this alone."

Hale snickered. "You'd like that, but this is still my case. Besides, someone else needs to witness the long line of bullshit that Clay is going to run and it might as well be me."

Hale had no illusions about the current situation. After almost a month in St. Thomas and a couple of weeks at home, Clay Morrow and Jax Teller had finally relented in allowing Charming PD to interview Jolene. The President and VP had done everything possible to stonewall the investigation into the shooting, even using Jolene's doctors to prevent Hale from questioning her.

Hale, who had been following Jolene's care as closely as possible with the reluctant assistance of the hospital's admin, Margaret Murphy, knew that Jolene was well on her way to a full recovery. Hale started putting the squeeze on Jolene's doctors, who up until now had been adamant that Jolene not be subjected to any more stress, until they finally gave the all-clear for the police to question their patient.

 _I don't know how much good it will do now_ , Hale thought angrily.

The MC had been in a lockdown since the shooting, but about two weeks ago, things seemed to have loosened up on the T-M compound. Hale himself witnessed the exodus from Charming of at least three of the SOA charters leaving the lot, as well as the many SAMCRO families who had returned to their homes. There was still a strong SOA presence in the town, but things seemed to have settled down and the garage had finally reopened for business.

_The shooter has to be as good as dead. There was no way Morrow and Teller would ease up on their security if they hadn't already dealt with the threat._

Hale had realized that this interview was pretty much a formality. It was unlikely that the authorities would ever know the identity of the shooter. _Or where the body was buried_. Even though Hale took his oath to protect and serve seriously and believed in the criminal justice system, he recalled his feelings of fear and helplessness as he watched Jolene's lifeblood pour out onto the sidewalk. Hale realized that the shooter had most likely died a horribly gruesome death.

_And if I'm only sorry that I couldn't be a part of it, what kind of person does that make me?_

Hale looked at Unser standing in the middle of the Teller-Morrow's front walk. "Let's just get this over with." He walked to the door and rang the bell.

The door opened to reveal Gemma Teller-Morrow. She nodded to both of them. "Come on in." As she opened the door wide and Hale walked in, Gemma quirked an eyebrow at Unser as no one was expecting Hale. Unser gave her a look that assured Gemma that things would go as planned. "They're in the living room." She directed.

Hale quickly strode through the beautiful and spacious home. He remembered his days as a teenager when he would deliver the _Charming Gazette_ to this home. He had never seen the inside, but had wondered what the old lady of an outlaw biker would do with the space.

Apparently, Gemma was quite the home decorator. The home was very attractive and warm in appearance. The deep leather chairs contrasted with the light and dark browns of the wood furniture and accent pieces made for an attractive setting. But the real jewel of the room was alive and breathing.

Jolene Morrow was sitting in a leather armchair flanked by her father, Jax and Bobby Elvis.

Hale nodded to the men, but extended his hand to Jolene. "It's good to see you looking so well." He was practically beaming at her. Jolene looked incredible, if his heart skipping a beat was any indication. For someone who had gone through such a brutal attack, Jolene had obviously made a full recovery. She did look a little thinner, but not at all unhealthy. She looked stunning, actually.

"Thank you, David." Jolene replied graciously, flashing him with a devastatingly beautiful smile. It had been six weeks since the attack, but this would be the first time Jolene had an opportunity to speak to Hale directly and she had something she needed to say. "Before we get started," Jolene said with a catch in her voice. "What you did for me . . . I just want to say, I need to say—"

Hale interrupted Jolene. "You don't have to say anything. Not at all. I was glad to be there for you and I just want you to know that I will always be here for you." His eyes briefly met Jax's. "Always." He repeated adamantly.

Jax tensed and Bobby put one hand on his shoulder to steady him. With flared nostrils, Jax suddenly held his hand out to Hale.

"There's really nothing I can say," _At least not in front of my old lady_. "Except thank you for what you did for Jolene, for _us_ , that night." Hale looked at the extended hand and after ten seconds, took it.

"Well, now that we've all made nice," Clay said with deceptive charm. "I think we need to get to the matter at hand. I don't want my daughter overtired."

Unser quickly stepped in and took control of the situation. Sitting across from Jolene he took her through the events of the shooting.

At first Jolene was a little shaky, but with Jax next to her, holding her hand, she seemed to pull strength from him and recounted the events as they happened. Except for one small point.

Hale interrupted the questioning. "So you're saying that you don't remember anything at all about the man who shot you and Jax?" He questioned a little skeptically.

Before Jolene could answer, Jax jumped in heatedly. "She's suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She may never remember, but you already know that. I understand that the hospital administrator has been quite helpful in providing you with information on her condition." Jax accused.

"Ms. Murphy did not provide me with any detailed personal information. She just reiterated what Jolene's doctors had already told me. I understood that Jolene was under considerable stress and, in order to prevent her from suffering a relapse, we would be restricted from speaking to her directly while she was in the hospital. For her benefit and her benefit only, we were glad to cooperate." He looked at Jolene and smiled. "But if we want to get the shooter, we need as much information as possible. Anything at all would be incredibly helpful."

Clay held up his hand. "We appreciate Charming PD's efforts," He sighed softly. "But after all this time, and with Jolene still not remembering, it is unlikely that we will ever find the shooter. We are just going to have to live with that fact and make peace with it." He said solemnly.

Hale looked directly into Clay's eyes. _You lying bastard. The shooter is probably scattered in chunks all over this damn state._

Realizing that they were getting nowhere fast, Hale stood up. "Well, I guess that's all we can do here. Jolene, we'll write up your statement and I will give you a call in a few days when it's ready for your signature. You can either come down to the station house or I can bring it by."

"Chief Unser, make sure you call _me_ when it's ready." Jax demanded as he stood up and faced Hale. "I'll take Jolene down to the station house myself."

Growing increasingly uncomfortable with the two alpha males thumping chests over her, Jolene got up from her seat. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more of a help, but I do appreciate all your efforts. Thank you, David and thank you, Chief Unser."

Gemma, who had remained quiet throughout the entire interview, a monumental feat in her book, put her arm around Jolene as she led her to the kitchen.

At the front door, Clay shook Unser's hand. "Thanks for your help Chief." He nodded to Hale and followed his family back inside.

As Hale stepped through the door, he looked at Jax. "You know, the next time someone tries to take you down, Jolene might not be so fortunate."

Knowing there was a good chance that Jax would end up sleeping in a cell tonight if he didn't act quickly, Bobby stepped in front of him and said to Hale, "It's time for you to go."

Hale shook his head, and strode to his Jeep, but turned back to look at Jax. "Teller, if you really loved Jolene, you would set her free to find someone else. Someone to take her away from this _so-called_ life you live." _Someone like me_ , he thought grimly.

As Hale pulled away, Jax exited the house without a word to Bobby and walked over to his bike. As he got on and pulled out of the driveway, Jax had one thought reverberating in his head.

_That someone will never be you._

* * *

Bobby walked back into the house. The events of the past several weeks had worn him down, mentally and physically. But hopefully they would soon have some closure and get things back on track.

As he entered the kitchen, Clay motioned to Bobby to follow him. Entering the den, Clay motioned for Bobby to sit down while he went to the cabinet and poured them each a glass of whiskey. Handing one to Bobby, Clay sat across from him in his recliner. After knocking his drink back, Clay slammed his glass on the table and said, "At least that's over with."

"For now. You really think Captain America's gonna let it go?"

"He's gonna have to. There's nowhere to for him to turn, and once we get Kyle, it will be a non-issue." Clay looked at Bobby. "But I didn't call you in here to talk about that."

Bobby nodded. "What's up, brother?"

Clay rolled his shoulders and sighed. _I really hate all this touchy-feely crap_. Clay was not an emotional man, at least, that's what he liked to tell himself, but he knew that he had crossed the line with Bobby and owed him an apology. There had been a lot of tension between them ever since he had hurled those hurtful words at Bobby in the hospital's surgical suite.

_You're not family either. Do you want me to ban you too?_

"The day after the shooting, I was in a real bad place, brother and I was hurting, but so were you. I had no right to say what I said to you." Clay's eyes were moist. "If it wasn't for you, I would never have known my little girl, so I just wanted to say that I am truly sorry."

Bobby knew how hard it was for Clay to apologize. It was a rare thing, so when it happened, it was because he really meant it. "I know brother. She's yours first, but she's mine, too."

"Yeah, I know." Clay rubbed his hands over his face. "Bobby, we almost lost her." Clay's shoulders shook.

"But we didn't!" Bobby said strongly. "Kit is alive and she's okay and she's going to be fine."

"But for how long, Bobby?" Clay retorted angrily. He got up and paced around the room. "I heard what Deputy Dog said out there, and he's right. Letting her get mixed up with Jax was a mistake and it's only a matter of time before that relationship gets her killed."

Bobby stared at Clay dumbfounded. The fear of losing his daughter still had him blaming the wrong guy for Kit's situation. 99% of her family consisted of Reapers. The other 1% was Gemma. Clay had to cut Jax and Jolene some slack. They loved each other and it would be a damn shame if Clay's guilt for bringing Jolene into this life in the first place bled all over Jax. The boy had enough of his own guilt to deal with. Before Bobby could open his mouth to speak, Clay spoke again.

"Well, I'm not going to let that happen. And neither is Jax."


	23. Dead End

****Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.** **

* * *

Sitting in the open-air lobby of one of the most popular hotels on the Strip, Kyle waited impatiently for his contact to show up. He had selected this meeting place particularly as it was constantly overrun with tourists, allowing him to melt into the background, and giving him a sense of security. Wearing a non-descript jacket, baseball cap with glasses, and holding the program for the Blue Man Group show at the Venetian to identify himself to his contact, Kyle wondered how much further could his life fall apart before he was dragged down under.

After three weeks in hiding it had become painfully obvious to him that he was completely out of his depth. When he first arrived in Las Vegas, Kyle had spent the first week feeling sorry for himself and generally availing himself of all the creature comforts that Sin City had to offer. And there was a lot to be had. Fighting the urge to indulge the constant need for pleasure that he had cultivated during his years as a Son, Kyle tried to turn his mind to the problem at hand—namely, keeping his sorry ass alive.

Unfortunately, the contacts that Kyle had hoped would be able to lend a helping hand, for the most part, were a wash. His old contacts, relationships forged while doing two stretches in Chino, had short memories and even shorter patience when it came to dealing with a 40-something ex-biker who had gotten himself in a hell of a fix.

His only offer of assistance came from a former cellmate who assured him that the best he could do was to give him a job providing security at his low-rent casino—way, way off the Strip—and a beat up trailer where he could lie low. Kyle was not used to living undercover and it was chaffing at him. As the weeks passed and no opportunities presented itself where he could make some quick cash, Kyle realized that he was extremely unsuited for anything other than the outlaw life and now that those opportunities were no longer available to him, Kyle saw his future and it was grim.

As a father, Kyle could understand Clay's need for vengeance, but as a man, Kyle knew Teller's love for his old lady bordered on obsession. The asshole had considered going Nomad for the bitch. Plus the hot head was quick to cut _anyone_ down who had balls enough to look at Jolene twice with his glacial blue-eyed glare, soon followed by a punch to the face if they were slow on the uptake and didn't back down. What could he possibly do to the man he had shared a patch with and that had conspired to rape and murder the woman he loved? Kyle refused to let his mind go there, but he couldn't avoid the reality of his situation and its possible outcome forever. He shivered involuntarily.

_Sooner or later, Teller's gonna catch up with me and when he does, I'm gonna curse my mother for not having an abortion as he hacks me to pieces._

With no funds and no other contacts to help him, Kyle knew that it was only a matter of time before the Prince of Charming, the crippled bastard, and Fat Elvis succeeded in tracking him down. So Kyle came up with an alternate plan. _Alternate_ as in the only alternative he had left. The only way he was going to survive was to cut a deal with the only people who would have a reason to give him a helping hand, along with some protection.

Kyle Hobart, a Son for 17 years, was pinning all his hopes on the fucking U.S. government to save his sorry ass by turning rat.

Kyle was startled out of his thoughts when someone sat next to him on the bench he'd been warming for the past hour. Looking out of the corner of his eye, he saw a large man, white, with salt-and-pepper hair in his late 50's, probably early 60's. The man spoke softly and out of the corner of his mouth.

"Kyle Hobart?"

_Finally!_

"I.D.?"

The man opened a folded up newspaper. Inside its folds, Kyle saw the gold shield and the badge below it with the picture identifying the man as Special Agent Jacob Reinhardt from the Bureau of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Nevada Division.

Kyle was practically beaming. "Yep, I'm Kyle Hobart."

Agent Reinhardt took a look at the man sitting to his left and sized him up with one look.

 _Desperate and fucking stupid_.

Jacob Reinhardt, known as J.R. to his associates, had been an agent for over 40 years. He had years of experience and lots of busts under his belt, so he was a pretty good judge of character when it came to dealing with the criminal element. When Hobart had first contacted his office, Reinhardt had been pretty sure as to what the man was all about and now, with one look, he had confirmed it for himself.

The dickwad had probably pissed off the wrong people in his MC and was now a marked man. Not knowing how to live life like a law-abiding citizen, this piece of shit was buying into the Wit Pro fantasy. As an agent, it was his job to sell Witness Protection to these back-stabbing dirt bags like he was selling timeshares in Boca. Unfortunately, the reality was that most of these rats, or confidential informants as his superiors insisted he refer to them, either ended up doing themselves in or they returned to the Life and ended up getting taken out by those they had been running from in the first place. It was Reinhardt's opinion that they had it coming either way, but back in the day, he would have jumped at the opportunity to take down an MC with suspected, but yet-to-be-confirmed ties to the Real IRA.

Although Sons of Anarchy's mother charter, also known as SAMCRO or the Redwood Originals, seemed legit on paper—a group of motorcycle enthusiasts with a flourishing auto repair shop—they were reportedly the Real IRA's _only_ distributors of AKs and MAC-10s in NorCal. It was rumored that in recent years, SAMCRO had expanded their gun running enterprise to other charters, including several up North in Oregon and Washington and as far south as Arizona, but it was their expansion into Nevada, including not only one of their own charters in Reno, but a friendly MC, the Devil's Tribe in Indian Hills, as well, that had put them on the ATF's radar.

Most agents would have creamed their shorts to have gotten a call like the one Reinhardt got a week ago. The information that Hobart had already provided, if legit, could prove to be a career-making case for the agent willing to work hard to see it come to fruition.

Only problem was that Reinhardt couldn't give a shit. _Not at all_. Not even just a little bit.

 _Just a month shy of retiring and this shit has to land in my lap,_ Agent Reinhardt thought disgustedly.

He had hoped that the call was bogus, but Hobart had provided enough Intel about SAMCRO and their connection to the Real IRA that his superiors were up his ass to reel the son of the bitch turncoat in. So here he was, not getting ready for his move to the small, but fully loaded cabin on a prime piece of land he had found in Utah.

 _Instead, I'm meeting with this asshole to play Let's Make a Deal_ , he thought snidely _._

Agent Reinhardt stood up and said to Kyle, "Let's take a little walk, shall we?"

* * *

Kyle fell on the bed in the rattle-trap trailer located on the outskirts of Vegas. For the first time in weeks, he felt at ease.

The meet with the ATF Agent had been successful. Once Kyle had been able to assure the pig that he had the goods on the Sons of Anarchy, he wanted Kyle to come in for a formal interview, right then and there. But Kyle hadn't been born yesterday. He had given him a taste and had left him wanting more. He knew to keep the best stuff that he had on the Sons in his back pocket. If the Feds wanted the information, they were going to have to pay and pay up big.

Whether or not he made the deal, Kyle knew his life as a Son was officially over. He had loved the Life, still loved it, and would miss it, but he enjoyed living a whole lot more. Going out as a rat gave him pause, but either way, plotting to kill both the Pres and VP already branded him a traitor. There was no going back from that. Besides, knowing that he would finally put the screws to Teller, Morrow, and all his former brothers for _their_ betrayal would put the icing on the cake.

Kyle made the sound of a happy man as he laid back on the narrow bed with his hands behind his head. The money that he would get to set up a new life would be big.

 _Once April hears, she and the kids will come running_ , Kyle thought. _I'll have my life and my family and the Sons will be nothing but an old memory_.

Life was about to be good once again.

* * *

Jolene sat at the dining room table with Gemma and Neeta, rounding off a light lunch of grilled chicken on mixed greens, that she had mostly picked at, with a cup of strong black coffee. Jolene ignored Gemma's reprimanding look as she reached for the coffee pot resting on a trivet in between them and poured herself a second mug. After asserting herself and escaping to the Clubhouse to see Jax, there was no putting the Genie back into the bottle, or the so-called invalid back on lockdown, for that matter. Although she loved her family and appreciated all they have done for her, Jolene was ready to start taking control of her life again. Dr. Negron had proclaimed her healthy and continuing to improve during her last visit almost three weeks ago and after this morning's epic battle royale between her father and Jax, Jolene decided that the time had come for her to move back into her own home.

Things between her dad and Jax had been icy lately. No doubt, knowing her father as well as she did, he probably blamed Jax for what had happened. But the tension between the two had been building up in recent weeks and finally reached its boiling point. She could hear them yelling at each other in the den all the way upstairs. Her father had been reprimanding Jax for the noises coming from her bedroom at night. Embarrassing? Fuck yeah! Apparently, her father could hear Jax rocking her world on a nightly basis and was none too happy. Jolene could understand that no father wanted to acknowledge their daughters as sexual creatures and to have his ears assaulted with the evidence of just how sexual she was must be difficult to bear. That, coupled with the fact that her father still insisted that looking at her too hard might cause Jolene's heart to explode in her chest had probably caused his temper to flare. She could only imagine what damage he thought Jax was causing by regularly banging the living shit out of her.

But so far, she was alive and kickin' and the happiest she's been in weeks.

All through lunch, Jolene had been tempted to broach the subject of moving back home with Gemma, just to feel her out, but had decided to wait until she had a chance to talk to Jax first. She at least owed her old man the courtesy of thinking he had a say in the matter because there was absolutely nothing he could say that would change her mind. Waiting until Kyle Hobart was found and dealt with before she could resume living her life again was just not happening.

Gemma had also heard Clay's epic meltdown this morning before heading off to the Clubhouse. Aside from the TMI-aspect of being made privy to the vigorousness and frequency of Jax and Jolene's sex life, Gemma thought Clay may have been overreacting. What could he possibly expect from two people who loved each other so passionately and had nearly lost each other so very recently? Gemma had her own concerns about Jolene's well-being, her weight loss in particular as Jolene had barely touched her lunch and, as far as Gemma could tell, had been surviving on endless cups of coffee and the occasional bowl of cereal. But resuming a normal and healthy sex life was a good sign that her recovery was heading in the right direction. Dr. Negron had not only cleared Jolene for such activity, but actually encouraged her to resume life as it was prior to the shooting. Clay would probably bite her head off and tell her to take her two cents and shove them straight up her ass, but Gemma was going to have a talk with him. After everything they've been through, Jax and Jolene deserved a little happiness.

Gemma was packing up the leftover chicken as Neeta wiped down the table when they heard the sound of a plate bouncing off the counter and crashing onto the floor, breaking in half a dozen pieces.

"Oh, shit, Gemma. I'm sorry." Jolene, who had been loading the dishwasher, apologized profusely as both Gemma and Neeta rushed into the kitchen.

"Girl, go sit down. You're just making more work for me." Neeta chastised jokingly as Jolene knelt down to pick up the pieces. Suddenly feeling lightheaded, Jolene fell back against the counter and slid down onto the floor.

"Jesus Christ, Jolene!" Gemma exclaimed as she and Neeta rushed to pick her up off the floor. "What in the hell happened?"

Jolene was shaking her head as she climbed back onto wobbly feet. "I'm okay, really. It's those damn meds the doctor has me on. They've been making me woozy and a little sick to my stomach lately." She insisted as Neeta led her back to her seat at the table. "I'm fine, really, Gemma. Please don't tell anyone."

"Baby girl, you know I can't do that." Gemma replied, taking a seat next to her as Neeta brought Jolene a glass of water.

"You can if I promise to get myself checked out. No sense upsetting anyone, especially if it's just a side effect of the medication." Jolene reasoned.

"Only if you go see him today." Gemma demanded.

"Not today." Jolene started and Gemma flashed her the "don't-fuck-with-me" look. "Dr. Negron only has office hours on Wednesdays and Fridays. I'll make an appointment for Friday, I promise."

Not totally convinced, Gemma reluctantly agreed. "Okay, but I'm taking you." Gemma left no room for argument and Jolene nodded. "Stay put. We'll finish cleaning up."

They were almost done cleaning up the kitchen when the front door bell rang, followed by some heavy-handed knocking. Neeta excused herself and went to answer the door. Seeing the blond, spiky-haired biker from Tacoma on permanent guard duty at the Teller-Morrow residence through the peephole, Neeta opened the door to find April Hobart standing next to him on the doorstep. The petite dark-haired woman smiled, but before she could greet Neeta, Kozik spoke up.

"She wants to talk to Jolene. I told her she has to clear it with Clay or Jax first, but she won't take no for an answer." He informed Neeta. "Tell her she has to go."

Neeta gave him a look that screamed "Who the hell do you think you're talkin' to?" prompting Kozik to follow up with a contrite, " _Please,_ tell her she has to go."

"Neeta, please," April started quickly. "I know I should have called first, but I was really hoping to finally get the chance to see Jolene."

Neeta eyed April warily. Clay Morrow had been giving her the stink eye ever since Jolene had broken out of her enforced lockdown and had shown up completely unannounced at the Clubhouse. He had only stopped when Jolene was finally able to convince him that Neeta had nothing to do with her escape.

Neeta was about to politely tell April not to let the door hit her where the Good Lord had spilt her when Gemma came to the front door. "It's all right, Kozik." She said. "Step aside, Neeta and let April come in." Neeta threw her hands up and headed to the kitchen, mumbling under her breath something about not going down like no punk bitch.

Smiling, Gemma led April into the living room and motioned for her to have a seat on the couch. "How's it going, April? We haven't seen you or the kids since the end of the lockdown."

Taking a seat on the leather couch, April tossed her handbag on the coffee table, and ran her hand through her hair. " _I've_ never been better. I wish I could say the same about the kids, considering that their no-good piece of shit father bailed on them." April said angrily.

"I heard." Gemma said, putting her sympathetic game face on. "It must be hard."

April shook her head vigorously. "Trust me, Gemma, it's no great loss. I've grown used to him taking off on me. During the last five years of our marriage, Kyle has spent more time living at the Clubhouse than at home, anyway. But that's dirty water under the bridge. I'm here for a happy visit. How's Jolene doing? Can I see her?"

Grateful she was still sitting down, Jolene's knees had turned to water the moment Neeta told her that April Hobart had stopped by out of the blue and that Gemma had invited her inside.

"Girl, you look like you've seen a ghost. Are you sure you're okay?" Neeta, who had no clue about Kyle's treachery, asked with concern.

Shaking it off, Jolene smiled reassuringly at her friend. "I'm fine. I'm gonna go say hi."

Jolene had no reason to fear April Hobart. She knew this. The two women had grown close during the time that Jolene had been tutoring her son in Math a while back. Besides, the poor woman had been abandoned by her own husband during a lockdown. Jolene knew that April was a good woman with a big heart and totally undeserving of a scumbag like Kyle for a husband. Jolene was sure that, like everyone else, April would be shocked if she knew what Kyle had done.

"April?" Jolene smiled as she stepped into the living room. As April jumped up and ran over to embrace the younger woman, Gemma's eyes met Jolene's knowingly.

Gemma got up and headed toward the kitchen. "I'll leave you two alone to catch up," She said. _While I_ _make a quick phone call._

April, now holding Jolene's hand, sat down on the sofa. "Thank God you're all right. I would have been by sooner but—"

Jolene shook her head. "I know, April. My dad and Jax have pretty much kept me under lock and key, but I am doing much better now. I'm glad you're here. It's good seeing you. How are the kids?"

"This last lockdown was pretty tough on them." April sighed. "My daughter's still young enough to see it as just one big slumber party, but it was harder for Charlie. He knew what had happened and he was so worried about you. I can't tell you how much you mean to him."

"Charlie's a really great kid." Jolene smiled. _He definitely takes after his mother._

"He would kill me for telling you, but he has a _huge_ crush on you." April laughed.

"Aww, that's really sweet." Jolene chuckled. "You've done a really great job with your kids, April. You're a wonderful mom and they are lucky to have you."

"Thanks." April let out a shaky breath. Feeling herself get weepy, she cleared her throat. "I guess you've heard about Kyle."

Jolene nodded sympathetically. She had been searching for an opening, but knew that if she waited her out, April would bring up the subject of her husband. Jolene had spent plenty of time over the last three years having her ear bent as April went off on Kyle's latest exploits.

Realizing that last cup of coffee may have been a mistake after all, Jolene tried not to lose the contents of her stomach as she said, "I'm really sorry to hear about Kyle. I understand that he just picked up and left?"

April nodded her head. "But don't let my tears fool you." She swiped at her eyes angrily. "There's no reason to feel sorry for me. Don't get me wrong. I was just as surprised as anyone, especially since it was looking like he was finally getting his shit together, but in reality, this is the best possible outcome for me. I was so tired. Tired of the attitude, tired of his bullshit, tired of all the women. He did what I haven't had the courage to do for a long time. He left."

"You haven't heard from him since?"

"Oh, yeah. The bastard called me two days ago from Las Vegas." April replied and Jolene felt her heart skip a beat. "Talk about mid-life crisis, huh? He probably spent the last three weeks hitting every brothel in Nevada. I bet they sell maps like they do in Hollywood of the stars' homes."

Jolene squeezed her hand. "Is it over between you two, or does he want to come home?" She asked, playing dumb.

"Oh no, it is definitely over, he just doesn't know it yet. Besides, he doesn't want to come back. I'm sure he was thinking with the wrong head when he left the compound during the lockdown and knows the Club won't be waiting to greet him with open arms, you know what I mean?" April looked at Jolene knowingly, giving Jolene the chills. Jolene knew she was probably imagining it, but the look in April's eyes told her she knew Kyle was guilty of more than just abandoning his family and the Club during a lockdown. "After all the Club has done for him and our family, I think they have the right to know he has no intention of returning. Apparently he's found some new deal and wants me and kids to just pick up and leave town, without telling _anyone_ , not my parents, not even the Club. He was full of promises, saying it would be a fresh start for us. Full of shit is what he is. He gave me a couple of days to think about it, but I had already made up my mind even before he called. I'm filing for divorce and I'm moving the kids out of Charming." She advised.

"You're leaving Charming?" Jolene asked and April nodded. April Hobart was probably the best chance the Club had of finding Kyle and now she was leaving town. _Shit_! "When? Where are you going?"

"If all goes as planned, by the end of next week. My folks retired to Florida several years ago. If I have to start my life over at my age, it certainly won't be with that fool. We already have a place to live, but finding a job is proving to be a little harder. I've been out of the job market so long that at this point I'll scrub toilets with a toothbrush if it means moving on with my life." April said adamantly. "Charlie's not too happy about moving away from his friends and having to finish high school some place new, but I have to do what is best for my family. I'm not being selfish, am I?"

"Absolutely not." Jolene started. "You are doing the right thing, April. What he's done to his family," _and mine_ , Jolene closed her eyes for a moment. "Is unforgivable. I know you're scared, but soon, all of this will be nothing but a bad memory. You really do deserve so much better."

"Thanks, Jo." April smiled sadly. "Hopefully, someday I can look at a man without wanting to kill him. Maybe then I'll find someone else and really start over."

"And you will find someone. They're not all bad, you know." Jolene said encouragingly.

April chuckled cynically, like a woman that has been burned one too many times. "Lucky you, I think you snagged the last decent biker out there." She said and Jolene couldn't help but smile at the thought of her Jax. She was lucky in more ways than one.

"Have you filed for divorce yet?" Jolene asked quietly.

"I would have filed the same day the lockdown ended, but I had no idea where he took off to. At least now I know where he's working." April replied and Jolene mentally patted herself on the back for remaining so passive. "He left me with no money, but my parents have been great. They wired me some cash for a retainer. Now all I have to do is find an attorney willing to work for next to nothing and hopefully have him served with divorce papers before we leave for Florida. I just want this whole nightmare to come to an end already."

 _So do I_ , Jolene thought to herself.

"If you need an attorney, I can recommend someone." Jolene smiled, praying that, with her heart pounding against her chest, she didn't sound as nervous as she felt. Normally, this would not have been a cause for concern, but in light of recent events, Jolene was almost afraid she was having a heart attack. "The attorney that represented me, back in my trouble-making days, is a friend of the Club. With all the business the MC throws his way, I'm sure my dad can work out a deal so that he won't bill you too much."

"Oh my God, yeah! The steel bat incident." April laughed and Jolene shook her head, realizing she was never going to live that down. It would probably be part of her epitaph as well. "If you could do that for me, I'd be indebted to you forever. I appreciate all the help I can get."

"No problem." Jolene couldn't contain the sheer joy she felt as she reached for April and hugged her.

 _I'm sorry, honey_ , Jolene thought, feeling just a tad bit sad for April, _but with the help I'm giving you, I'm about to make you a widow_.

* * *

Following Clay into the Chapel, Jax was the last person to enter. Taking their respective seats at the table, Clay banged the gavel, calling the meeting to order. Even though the tension between the two men had finally come to a head a few days ago, they were practically beaming at each other as Clay leaned back in his chair and lit a cigar.

"Well, boys," Clay started happily, causing more than a few double-takes to make the rounds at the table. Ever since almost losing his daughter, no one has seen Clay smiling this much except when he was around Jolene. "We finally have some _wonderful_ news to share concerning our efforts to track down that low-life, scum-sucking douche bag, whom shall remain nameless."

"Holy, shyte, brutha," Chibs chortled. "Tell me LaRoy's come through for us."

"Nope." Clay said simply and pointed a finger at Jax. "Fill them in VP." He was almost cackling.

Smiling, Jax shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "April Hobart came to see Jolene a couple of days ago."

Bobby frowned, "I thought Kit wasn't allowed visitors."

"Shit, and of all people, too." Opie chimed in.

"Yeah, well, she wasn't allowed to leave the house either, but that didn't stop her or my Queen from making an exception to one of my rules," Clay replied grimly. "But unlike leaving the safety of the house and coming down here, it turns out this one was a good call." The dig having its desired effect, both men were back to glaring at each other.

Practically rolling his eyes at him as he turned away from Clay, Jax continued, "It seems April is moving to Florida at the end of next week and wanted to see Jolene one last time before cutting ties with Charming."

"Florida? That piece of shit's in Florida?" Piney asked.

Jax shook his head. "Nah, she's splitting with the kids to her folks, but that's not what this meeting's about. What it _is_ about is the one-ton dime April dropped on Kyle's location, and Jolene thinks she may have done so deliberately."

"Well, hell, don't you just love the little woman?" Tig said smiling from ear to ear. "Where is the little prick?

"What the douche bag lacks in brains, he sure makes up for in balls," Jax replied. "Because the idiot's been hiding out practically under our noses. He's in Nevada. Las Vegas, to be exact."

There was a mild wave of indignation around the table as everyone realized how close they had been.

"So out of the 50 states and several commonwealths, we know where the stupid fuck's hiding out. It'll still be like trying to find a needle in a haystack, though." Bobby commented.

"I'm sure Antoine's got connections in Vegas, man. He's the Mack Daddy of Pimps and Kyle is all about the pussy." Tig stated. "Let's get him on it."

"It's already taken care of, my brother." Clay drawled with a smile.

"We got a location?" Happy, still on loaner from Tacoma along with Kozik, asked, his voice gravelly and eyes a little wild.

Jax nodded, a slight smile curling his lips.

"What did April do? Give Jolene an address? How the fuck did we manage to track him down already?" Opie asked.

"She didn't give her an address, but my old lady is fuckin' brilliant, man." Jax said proudly.

 _Brilliant she is_ , Clay thought bitterly, _but not your old lady for much longer_.

"It seems they got to talking," Jax started, sitting forward with his hands, palms down, on the table. "And Jo definitely got the vibe that April knew he was in the shit with the Club for more than just going AWOL during a lockdown. She told Jo that he had contacted her about a new scheme or some shit and wanted April and the kids to join him in Vegas, without telling anyone. All April wanted was an address where she could have him served with divorce papers and now that she knew where he was working, all she needed was a cheap attorney to help her out."

"And my little girl recommended Rosen." Clay was grinning again as laughter erupted around the table, except for Juice, who seemed confused.

"Rosen? At twelve hundred an hour, Rosen's not cheap." Juice commented as eight pairs of incredulous eyes fell on him.

"Don't worry about it, Juicy. I'm personally picking up the tab on this one." Clay laughed.

"We gave Rosen the head's up and April went to see him yesterday." Jax continued. "He had a local P.I. swing by a low-rent casino off the Strip late last night and ten minutes ago, Rosen called to confirm a location. I'm going down there—tonight." He said firmly.

"Oh, no, brother, not without us, you won't." Tig said. "This isn't just about what he did to you. What he did to this Charter, to Doll Face, he did to all of us, and we all deserve to be in on it."

"He's right." Clay said. "I _especially_ want Happy in on this. We need to do this right to end this shit once and for all. We make him disappear all the while making sure none of this can blow back on the Club _or_ on my kid."

"It's gonna be a tight schedule, Clay." Jax started. "Rosen's P.I. did some digging around and said that POS's shift at the casino ends at 4:30 in the morning and it's almost a nine hour ride down to Vegas. You think you can handle it?" He asked, indicating Clay's hands.

Although it was only out of concern, not malice, that Jax brought up the pain in his hands, Clay still took offense and replied, defensively, "I'll handle my shit. You just make sure you handle yours once this is all over."

Suddenly feeling left out of the conversation, everyone at the table exchanged uneasy looks. Shit was brewing between Clay and Jax for some unknown reason, but now was not the time to bicker at each other like old biddies.

"Okay, then," Bobby chimed in. "If we're on a tight schedule, we need to focus what little time we have and come up with a plan so we can put this shit to bed, together."

Breaking away from his stare down with Clay, Jax looked around the table at his brothers and, seeing their grim determination to see this thing through, nodded.

"Then let's do it."

* * *

After spending all morning locked in the Chapel strategizing and working through logistics, including planning for every possible worst case scenario, the Club was satisfied with their plan for the execution of Kyle Hobart.

With most of the crew riding down to Vegas in two cargo vans, Jax tasked his best friend Opie with making sure they were in complete working condition and fully loaded with everything they may need for their journey. Even though he wasn't taking the ride, Piney stuck around after the meeting to help Tig and Happy pull together an assortment of tools that looked innocuous enough, but that in the hands of the Tacoma Killer and Charming's crazy-eyed SAA could quickly become instruments of painful, drawn out torture. Jax was sitting in the Chapel with Juice tapping away on his laptop, smoking cigarette after cigarette. He was running the logistics of tonight's road trip through his mind, flipping the details upside down and inside out, all in an effort to avoid one thought from entering his mind.

He needed to see his old lady.

Stubbing out his cigarette in an ashtray overflowing with butts and ashes, Jax angrily rubbed his face with one hand and cursed under his breath, causing Juice to give him a sideways glance.

"You okay, bro?" Juice asked, giving Jax a start as the sound of Juice's voice pulled him from his thoughts and reminded him that he wasn't alone.

Needing a drink, Jax shook his head slightly as he pushed himself away from the table and headed towards the bar. "I'm good." He replied. No he wasn't. Not even close. Even though his day had improved considerably since getting to the Clubhouse this morning, he and Jolene had had a rough start today.

After her Clubhouse visit several weeks ago, Jax knew there would be no going back to keeping her at arm's length. He couldn't and worse yet, he didn't want to. Being with his old lady had never felt so good and he rejoiced every time he got to hold her in his arms, every time she moaned his name against his ear. For a while, he had convinced himself that life could go on as it had before it all turned to shit, but Clay wasted no time in bringing him back to reality by reminding him that he had almost lost his daughter because of him. To make matters worse, Clay could hear them going at it at night and thought it might be best if Jax just got the hell out of his house.

Jax chuckled to himself bitterly. That had been an option before. Now, not so much. Knowing that he was going to have to give her up eventually made him want to hold onto her even more until that day came and Jax had managed to convince himself that day would never come until they found Kyle. He and Clay had almost come to blows when Jax informed him that neither he nor Jolene were going anywhere until Kyle was ground to dust. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on whether you were Team Jax or Team Clay), his old lady had inadvertently set the clock ticking on their remaining time together as soon as she led April Hobart to Rosen. And Clay had wasted no time in pointing this fact out to him, again and again over the course of the next two days following April's visit.

This morning, Jax had opened his eyes to the amazing sensation of the woman he loved working her mouth magic on him and he did something he never thought himself capable of. He stopped her. Like an asshole, he had stopped her and decided that right then and there was the perfect time to bring up San Diego and the scholarship.

Fuck, to say Jolene Morrow had a temper was the understatement of the millennium. He almost didn't make it out of the room before she started throwing shit. Sitting at the bar, knocking back his third, fourth shot of whiskey, so deep in his thoughts that he had lost count, Jax regretted that he would be leaving later today on this game-changing run with the last words his old lady had for him spoken in anger and hurt.

Raising his fifth, or was it sixth, shot of whiskey in a mock cheer, Jax sneered, "Here's to you, Clay-fuckin'-Morrow for not butting the fuck out of my life." Slamming the shot glass on the bar, Jax turned to his right and found Bobby sitting next to him, staring.

"Something you wanna talk about before you down enough shots to keep you from going to Vegas?" Bobby asked, concerned etched on his face.

That last toast was all the confirmation Bobby needed. Clay was plaguing this boy and nothing good ever came from Jax hating himself. Before Jolene, self-loathing coupled with boozing and inappropriate women equaled a reckless Jax hell bent on self-destruction. He didn't know what was going on, Clay had only alluded to it in their last conversation about Jolene, but Bobby could see it on Jax's face. Clay was pushing Jax to end his relationship with Kit.

Shaking his head, Jax replied bitterly, "Nope. Nothing I wanna talk about."

Almost tempted to bite his tongue, Bobby knew he couldn't. He loved and respected his brother Clay, but he loved that little girl with the fragile heart that had morphed into a beautiful woman with a spine of steel just a little bit more. Bobby couldn't stand by and let his Kit end up getting hurt over something that wasn't her or Jax's fault. Almost every Club member had an old lady. Was Clay going to make every member give up their women, too? Clay himself had been in Kyle's cross hairs. Was he planning on getting rid of Gemma as well? Or was this just his way of punishing someone, anyone—but Jax in particular—for the pain he had felt at almost losing Jolene?

"Whatever it is that Clay has you convinced you have to do, brother," Bobby started, looking straight into Jax's bloodshot eyes. "You don't."

Jax chuckled with resentment as he reached for the bottle of Jack that Bobby grabbed and pulled out of his reach.

"You're not gonna find the answer you're looking for at the bottom of that shot glass, Jax." Bobby continued. "You will, however, find it in the eyes of your old lady. The way she looks at you, you are her world, man. You listen to Clay, you're gonna end up hurting her far worse than anything she's been through in recent weeks ever could and you're going to regret it for the rest of your life."

Jax was staring back at Bobby with a clenched jaw and pursed lips. "How can anything be worse than what's she's already gone through?"

"She's alive!" Bobby almost hollered. "Goddamn it! Don't you see that if you force her to live without you, she's gonna wish she had died that day. Call me selfish, but _I_ don't want to hurt seeing her suffer like that because _I_ for one am fuckin' over the moon that she's alive. The way you and Clay skulk around here, it's almost like she did die. Is that what you wanted? Would that have been the preferred outcome for you two in order to stop this tug of war that's only hurting one person in the long run?"

The mere thought horrified Jax. If the look on his face was any indication, Bobby prayed that he had finally gotten through to him.

"I love her, Bobby and no, she's not the only one that's gonna end up hurting in the long run." Jax's voice was gravelly and low with what Bobby was sure were unshed tears. "I told her in the beginning that she didn't realize what she was getting herself into with me. At the time, I was just thinking I wouldn't be able to keep it in my pants, that I'd cheat on her like I did every woman I've ever been involved with. I also told her that she belonged with anybody but me and again I was just thinking that I'd end up hurting her by fuckin' around on her. I was right, for all the wrong reasons, but I was right. She doesn't belong with me."

"You don't believe that any more than I do." Bobby nearly whispered.

"I do, though." Jax nodded his head for emphasis. "I'd rather live without her knowing that she hates me than having to live without her in this world because she loved me."

"You're talkin' like you're unworthy of her love, Jax and all that's just misplaced grief—" Bobby started, but Jax interrupted.

"It's not misplaced, Bobby because I am fucking grieving right now. I love her enough to protect her from anything that might ever hurt her again. That's why I'm gonna kill Kyle Hobart and then I'm gonna make sure I get her as far away from me as possible."

* * *

It was a little past one in the afternoon and Jolene still couldn't motivate herself to get out of bed. She'd barely end one bout of crying before the next one began. It had been going on all morning and it was starting to worry Gemma. Attempts by both Gemma and Neeta to lure her out of her room had failed. The last thing Gemma wanted was for Clay to get home and find his daughter in tears after the explosive argument she had had with Jax this morning. She tried to get Jolene to let her into the room, but she refused, basically telling Gemma to go fly a kite. After recovering from her shock, Gemma promised to take her shopping for a new sexy wardrobe if she would just open the door. That offer was met with deadly silence, interrupted by the occasional sniffle. Sending in the big guns, Gemma persuaded Neeta to promise Jolene a batch of her homemade peach cobbler if she would just acknowledge that she was still breathing.

Nothing.

Gemma was about to call in Kozik to batter down the door when Jax pulled up on his bike.

"Thank God," Gemma breathed as she threw open the door and Jax practically pushed past her, smelling like he had bathed in a vat of Jack Daniels. Without saying a word or acknowledging his mother, Jax made his way upstairs. "Jax!" Gemma called out after him. "What happened between you two that has Jolene locked up in her room crying?"

Turning from halfway up the stairs, the look on Jax's face told Neeta to get the hell out of Dodge. She did a quick about-face and headed into the kitchen to start working on the damn peach cobbler she knew no one was going to eat anyway.

Jax looked on the verge of telling his mother to go mind her own fucking business, that he'd had enough of Jolene's father meddling in his life and he didn't need his mother adding to his misery. Instead, he pulled himself back and replied in voice that was almost robotic, severely lacking in humanity.

"We found Kyle and the Club's leaving for Vegas soon. I came to let Jolene know." Turning, he continued up the stairs, only to stop as he heard Gemma run up after him. Without facing his mother, Jax commanded, "Go back downstairs, Gemma. _None_ of this concerns you."

Shocked speechless for the second time in one day, Gemma turned on her heel and headed back downstairs.

* * *

Jolene heard someone try the door into her room again only to find it locked. It was going to stay locked so Gemma just needed to go away and leave her the fuck alone! She was about to throw the comforter over her head again when someone jimmied the lock and the door flew open. Jax entered the room uninvited, as he slipped the blue plastic insurance card he had used to pry the lock open back into his wallet. He was the last person, as well as the only person, she wanted to see right now.

"Go away, Jax." She said barely above a whisper as she threw herself onto her pillow and covered herself from head to toe.

After hooking up at the Clubhouse, Jolene thought Jax had let go of whatever guilt was weighing him down. She had fooled herself into believing that every time he had pulled her into his arms and told her he loved her. Something had changed, was tearing him apart, and had caused him to push her away this morning, telling her that she needed to reconsider going to grad school in San Diego. Hurt and confused by his rejection of her romantic overtures and his sudden push out of nowhere for her to leave Charming, Jolene lashed out. Hurt and confused by she didn't know what the fuck, Jax had lashed back. It had deteriorated pretty quickly after that, with Jax telling her that getting together in the first place had been a mistake. She was basically destroyed when he'd said that whether or not she took the scholarship, they were finished. Staying in Charming wasn't a good idea for her, he said, because she'd have a better chance of moving on with her life if she didn't have to watch him move on with his.

When Gemma had told him that Jolene had been locked in her room crying, Jax felt his heart break for not the first time today. He hated himself for the cruelty he had shown in his choice of words when what he felt was the exact opposite. Falling in love with her had saved his life and it was the best thing that could have happened to him. They couldn't be together because he had already failed once in protecting her. He could barely live with himself knowing that he had almost lost her and he needed her gone and away from Charming because if he couldn't have her, he didn't want to bear witness to the next man that took his place. As his former old lady, she would basically be off limits to any and all Club members, from any and all charters until he officially gave up any claim over her, which he would NEVER do. But those rules didn't apply to outsiders like Hale, who was standing in the wings, waiting to swoop her up. He'd see all three of them dead before he let that happen.

Closing the door behind him, Jax approached the bed. He was tempted to pull the covers back, wanting to tell her that the Kyle nightmare was almost over while looking into her face, but he knew he couldn't.

"Rosen pulled through for us," Jax started. "We have a location on Kyle and the Club's heading out to Vegas this afternoon. By this time tomorrow, this whole nightmare will be dead and buried."

Suddenly throwing the covers back, Jolene sat up in bed, her bloodshot eyes and tear-streaked face full of determination. "Good. You go get him, Jax. You go get him and you take whatever guilt and frustration you're feeling and you lay it at his feet where it belongs before you gut him like a fish." Jolene said, her chest heaving with emotion. "Then you turn around and you come back home to me, leaving all that shit behind, and we're going to start over because I know you love me." Kneeling on the bed, Jolene crawled over to Jax. Getting on her knees, Jolene grabbed him by his cut and pulled him towards her. "I _know_ you love me."

 _I do love you, darlin'. More than you'll ever fuckin' know_.

"I'm packing my shit and I'm going back home, Jax. I'm going back to _our_ home, where I'll be waiting for you." Running her hands through his hair, Jolene leaned in and kissed his mouth. Jax closed his eyes and fought the urge to kiss her back. "You stay safe, baby, and you come back home to me, to _us_."

* * *

Kyle had been running a tab with the casino's bar since the day he started his shitty low-paying job providing security several weeks ago. He had paid it off once, but since falling behind on his living expenses while earning shit pay, the tab had started adding up again and now, unable to pay off even a portion of it, he was also unable to drink. The casino's manager, his former cellmate, had him cut off. _Prick_!

Exiting the casino through the parking lot entrance, Kyle stopped briefly to light a cigarette. No money meant no pussy, which meant he was going home alone again tonight. This had been a rarity back home, where Kyle had never lacked in the variety or frequency of the pussy he got at the Clubhouse. Those bitches weren't after money. All they cared about was spreading their legs or dropping to their knees for a fully-patched member. Vegas certainly wasn't Charming. Since hitting town, Kyle had stupidly burned through what cash he had managed to get together before leaving thinking, especially after his initial meeting with the ATF, that his big payday was just right around the corner. He had been playing hardball with Reinhardt, refusing to meet up with him again to sign off on his deal without some major funds making their way into his pocket first. Now he was broke and it was Reinhardt's turn to play hard to get. Kyle had called him twice this week and Reinhardt had yet to return his phone calls.

Had his manager not cut him off, he'd probably be sitting in the smoky, seedy bar trying to talk up one of the only cocktail waitresses in the joint that didn't have a horse face, even though her tits were a little saggy. Not only was he sure that he could talk his way into her pants, but he could probably get wasted on her dime as well. Instead, he was standing in the parking lot face-to-face with this worst nightmare personified.

Jax Teller.

* * *

There were times when discretion was called for. Times when it was best to sneak up on an enemy and strike before they knew what hit 'em. There were also times when part of the fun, the big pay-off of the chase, was to look into their eyes and see all the cocky bravado turn to stone cold fear as it melted and seeped into their bones, the realization that they weren't long for this world hitting them in the face like, _ha ha_ , a steel bat.

Jax was casually leaning against his bike, wearing a plain dark hoodie, with his hair tucked into a black baseball cap. With his arms crossed over his chest, he was glaring directly at Kyle with flared nostrils. The look on Kyle's face was priceless. He would've laughed had the circumstances that had finally led to this showdown between the two men had not included losing his old lady to this asshole's delusions and hunger for power because even though Jolene was alive, Jax had lost her forever. Had Kyle not conspired with another piece of shit to do unspeakable things to an innocent, to his Jolene, Kyle's death tonight, although probably not painless, would have been quick, or at the very least, a hell of a lot quicker than what Jax had in store for him now.

Jax half expected Kyle to turn tail and run back inside the casino. It certainly wouldn't be out of character for the coward, but the crew had prepared for all possibilities. Juice had spent most of the day hacking into the Nevada Department of Buildings and Urban Development's databases and had downloaded blueprints of the casino and several buildings surrounding it. With all entrances and possible escape routes covered, not only by SAMCRO, but by a small contingent of Antoine's crew, Kyle could run, make a spectacle of himself, but he couldn't hide and he certainly wasn't getting away.

Surprising Jax, Kyle didn't run. Instead, he started taking several steps towards Jax. Standing up straight, Jax prepared himself to pull the Glock that was tucked into the waistband of his black jeans.

"I knew the Club would be pissed at me for leaving a lockdown," Kyle started, his nervous laughter unavoidable. "But I didn't think it would merit sending SAMCRO's VP to smoke me out."

"We both know that's not the reason why I'm here." Jax nearly growled.

Yeah, Kyle knew as much. Kyle also knew two other facts. One, the Club was apparently taking Whistler's word as fact even before he had the chance to defend himself, and two, that he pretty much couldn't trust his own fuckin' wife.

Hell hath no fury was a fucking understatement.

* * *

Even as the mocha-colored Escalade pulled up the winding mile-long driveway leading to the entrance of the long-abandoned brothel, the Pussy Willow Ranch in Nye County, about 60 miles outside of Las Vegas, Kyle still managed to convince himself that all he needed was the opportunity to plead his case to Clay. From the look on Teller's face, he knew there was no way to convince the man that he had nothing to do with his attempted assassination and the gunning down of his old lady. There was no love lost between the two men and, if Teller had his way, he would have shot him dead in the parking lot back at the casino. He had seen the look on Teller's face once before, as they both stepped into the makeshift ring at the Devil's Tribe clubhouse and all Kyle had done then was talk shit about his gash. He hadn't been lucky enough to walk out of the ring on his own, but he had at least managed to survive the pounding he took. Today, he wasn't so convinced that he would somehow manage to get out of this alive. His only saving grace would be Clay Morrow and the simple fact that it was his word against Whistler, a man who had a legitimate reason for wanting Teller dead.

Tig had been right about Antoine. Although a big time player in Reno, the Mack Daddy of Pimps had a long reach and was able to secure a secret location from a Vegas associate in order for SAMCRO to deal with an "internal" situation, no questions asked. The only thing Antoine's Vegas connection wanted was access to the same hardware Antoine and his crew had been rocking for the past three or four years. Grateful for the assistance, Clay had guaranteed their first shipment to arrive in about a month at a deep discount, with Antoine receiving a nice cache of weapons as a finder's fee.

One of Antoine's big and beefy bodyguards jumped out of the back seat of the Escalade and practically dragged Kyle out with him, pushing him towards a waiting Tig and Happy, as Jax pulled up on his bike, followed by Juice in Kyle's two door piece of shit cage. Switching places with Juice, Antoine's bodyguard jumped into Kyle's car and took off.

Antoine approached Jax, who was still sitting on his bike, and clasped hands in a bro-handshake.

"You can make his ride disappear?" Jax asked.

"Playa, I can make him disappear, too. You sure you don't want my crew handling this for you, after all, SAMCRO's practically family." Antoine offered, with a smile. He didn't normally warm up to white boys easily. It was his experience that the whiter, the crazier, and this was especially true of bikers, but Jax Teller was a cool dude, and what happened to him and his lady, well that shit was just too fucked up for words.

Jax shook his head. "I need to take care of this myself."

Antoine nodded. "I understands, brother. Just make sure ya'll clean up after your little party, hear?"

"You got my word."

"That's all I need, my friend." Antoine smiled as he shook hands with Jax again.

Kyle watched uneasily as the Reno pimp was about to climb back into his ride, but stopped. Walking back to Jax, he pulled what looked like a business card from the pocket of his cream-colored suit jacket.

"Can't believe I almost forgot this shit." He said as he handed the card to Jax. "Found it in his wallet during the pat down."

Jax looked at the card, his nostrils flared.

"Looks like not only is he a traitor, but a rat to boot."

* * *

Kyle was a bloody, punch drunk heap kneeling at Clay's feet. Someone had ripped off his shirt and he was missing a shoe. Any plans to negotiate for his life went out the window the second Jax had turned Agent Reinhardt's card over to Clay. His former brothers had taken turns beating the shit out of him for what seemed like hours. Conspiring to kill the top two was bad enough. Almost killing the SAMCRO Princess had sealed his fate. A hit on one was a hit on all, they said. Now throw into the mix the appearance that he had turned rat and it just served to piss them off a little more when they didn't think it was possible. With 17 years of knowledge under his belt, they all knew that Kyle had enough to take down not just SAMCRO, but every charter across six states.

"Aren't you gonna hear me out?" Kyle nearly begged.

"Only thing I wanna hear is you screaming." Jax replied, his eyes and his voice reflecting the deadly chill he felt wrapping itself around his heart.

Knowing that his pleas would fall on deaf ears with Jax, Kyle turned to Clay. "Clay, you gotta listen to me, brother—" He started, but was backhanded so hard by Happy he was actually seeing two Clays standing before him and couldn't figure out which one to address.

"You don't get to call him that." Happy growled.

"Clay," Kyle started again, wiping his bloody lip with the back of one of his hands bound together at the wrists with zip cord. "I don't know what all this is about."

"Oh, you don't know what this is all about?" Clay asked, incredulous. "You abandoned your Club, not to mention your wife and kids, during a lockdown and took off to Vegas, where we find you with an ATF agent's card tucked all nice and snug into your wallet, and you don't know what the fuck this is all about? What, you been hittin' more than peyote down at the Wahewa reservation?"

"You're already going down as a traitor and a rat, Kyle." Jax said, his voice a menacing snarl. "You wanna go down as a coward, too?"

"Own it, man." Tig demanded. "You were planning to kill Clay and Jax in some misguided attempt at a coup."

"But not before brutalizing and murdering an innocent in all this, the woman they both love, _that I love_ , more than anything." Bobby accused. "That alone guarantees you a long, painfully drawn out death."

"But it gets better. When that didn't work out for you," Opie continued. "You were gonna rat out your Club and what for? The Wit Pro fantasy? You're as stupid as you are spineless."

"Any of that ringin' a bell there, arsehole?" Chibs asked sarcastically.

Kyle was shaking his head vigorously. "You got it wrong, I swear. I was hurting just like everyone else about what happened. I just needed to get away. I don't know any Agent Reinhardt. I don't even know how that card got into my wallet, I swear. Someone must have put it there, trying to frame me, man. I don't know where you're getting your Intel, but someone has been feeding you a line of bullshit."

Pulling out the handheld tape recorder from the pocket of his hoodie, Jax looked at Kyle with a cocked eyebrow and hit play. It was almost instantaneous. The second the voice on the recording registered with Kyle, _his_ voice, he knew he was fucked. He couldn't even hope for a quick and painless death, not with his own words thrown back in his face. He would say that trusting Whistler was his first mistake, but he'd be wrong. His first mistake had been underestimating his former Club's commitment to the notion of brotherhood. Looking around the dilapidated brothel at the grim faces looking down on him, he realized he had never really fit in and that by going after Teller and his old lady, he had gone after them all.

"It's all there, in your own words, Kyle. When your plans went to shit, you ran, hoping the ATF would save your sorry ass." Clay stood over him, ready to kick his teeth in with his steel-toed boots if he even got an inkling he was being lied to. "What did you tell the ATF?"

Seeing no point in prolonging the agony, Kyle gave up. "I gave 'em the name of our Real IRA contact and the date of the next shipment. That's it, I swear. I didn't sign off on anything and I never got anything in return."

"Are you sure that's it?" Clay asked and Kyle nodded.

"You should have kept running." Jax said, overstating the obvious and relishing every moment.

"Before we right this wrong, I feel obligated as your former president to let you know that you _will_ spend your last moments on this earth in excruciating pain. You will beg for death and it won't come for a long, long time. You turned on your Club the minute you conspired with that piece of shit Nord to take out your VP by shooting him in the back like a coward, then you compounded your immense lapse in judgment by almost killing _my_ little girl. Speaking father to father, you know as well as I do that you deserve every moment of pain and suffering that is coming your way. You were in for a world of pain before. Now add in the fact that you're a fuckin' rat and even you have to agree that death is almost too good for you."

Defeated, Kyle was breathing hard, taking deeper and deeper breaths. "I don't get any last requests?"

Feeling slightly remorseful for everything Jax was going to lose once this was all over, Clay looked over at him and said, "It's up to you, VP."

With narrowed eyes, Jax glared at Kyle for a long time before speaking. "Yeah. You do." He said. He was going to start small. Pointing to the Reaper tat on Kyle's back, Jax asked, "Fire or knife?"

* * *

Bobby had seen a lot of shit in his lifetime. You didn't wear a patch for over 20 years and not see your share of fucked-uppedness. The last 18 hours, though, had Bobby convinced that nothing in his memory bank could compare to any of this shit right here. He'd seen members patched out before, but this time, he didn't think he would ever get the stench of burnt flesh out of his nose.

As he watched Jax take the acetylene torch to Kyle's back as he burned off the Reaper tat while downing nearly an entire bottle of Jack by himself, Bobby knew the young man had crossed a threshold he would be hard pressed to come back from. Now more than ever, Jax was going to need his old lady and God only knew what would be waiting for him once they returned to Charming.

As promised by Clay, Kyle's demise was neither quick nor painless and, even though Bobby wasn't quite sure what he had expected, it wasn't clean either. To say that Happy took his work for the Club with the seriousness and dedication of a surgeon was an understatement. He enjoyed the shit out of it, too. Needless to say, Kyle was barely conscious after Jax finished burning any Club ink off his body. Once taking over, Happy had pumped a syringe full of adrenaline into Kyle, just to make sure he was present and cognizant of what was about to happen to him. Bobby was hard pressed to feel any sympathy or empathy for the low-life, scum-sucking, piece-of-shit son of a bitch, not after what he had done to SAMCRO, but he sure as hell was glad when it was finally over.

Once the deed was done, it was only a matter of waiting for the Cleaner to show up and take care of business. Bobby and his brothers waited in relative silence after Tig made the call. Bachman had set out from Crescent City the day before and was less than an hour outside Nye County. Once he arrived, Bobby, Chibs, and Opie occupied themselves with unloading the cargo vans of the materials Bachman had requested in order to finish the job, including plastic tarp, a dozen gallons of hydrochloric acid, half a dozen bottles of bleach, and a CD player in order to play an assortment of Elvis Presley's greatest hits. Although the brothel had been abandoned for about five years, the plumbing was still in working condition, so Bachman had Tig and Happy move the body into one of the large bathrooms in the back with a large sunken tub. After setting up his music, he instructed the crew to use the bleach to start cleaning up, demanded to be left alone, and went to work.

Several hours later, after washing away and cleaning up any trace of Kyle Hobart, Bachman made his way over to Clay, who silently handed over an envelope containing $10,000 in cash. _And worth every fuckin' penny_ , Clay smirked to himself as he watched the strange man tuck the envelope into the inside pocket of his leather jacket and leave.

Giving the parlor room of the brothel a once over, Jax was satisfied that he was keeping his promise to Antoine about cleaning up after themselves. Without saying a word to anyone, Jax left the building, jumped on his bike, and took off.

Watching him ride off, Bobby was sure that although one ordeal had ended, another one was just about to begin.

* * *

It was way past sundown the following day and Jolene had given up trying to contact Jax on his pre-pay. She tried to ignore the niggling feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her something was wrong, but knowing that the Club had been due home hours ago, the feeling just burrowed itself into the pit of her stomach and refused to be abated.

Coming back home the day before had been easier than Jolene had expected. With Clay leading the small army down to Las Vegas, Jolene half-expected Gemma to throw herself in her path to keep her from leaving the safety of her father's house. Instead, Gemma had thrown her arms around her and told Jolene how proud she was to have her for a daughter and that Jax was lucky to have her for an old lady. She understood Jolene's need to assert herself and even though Gemma was available to help Jolene get settled into her home again, she would take a step back if that's what Jolene wanted. After fighting the urge to call Dr. Negron to ask if she was dying and he had neglected to tell her, Jolene packed her shit and went back home, with a reluctant Kozik bitching at her the whole way.

Unable to sit still, Jolene had occupied herself with cleaning and airing out her house that had been unlived in for the past several weeks, with everything as she had left it before their trip to Lake Tahoe. She had made dinner for her and Kozik and had to put her foot down when he insisted that he was fine with standing guard outside all night instead of sleeping on the couch. By mid-morning the next day, Happy had called Kozik to let him know that they were done, whole, and on their way back to Charming. It was seven o'clock at night by the time Kozik got the call officially taking him off guard duty with Clay wanting him to head down to the Clubhouse for a meeting.

And that's when the actual waiting game began for Jolene.

Fighting the urge to go down to the Clubhouse herself, Jolene killed time changing outfits. Starting out with a pair of skinny jeans, a fitted tee, and knee high boots, she changed into a skin tight designer band dress and heels, finally deciding to ditch all clothes and going with a red thong and her Property of vest. It was almost eleven o'clock and Jolene was about to change into a tank top and pajama bottoms when she heard the sound of a bike pull into the driveway. Flush with nervous excitement, Jolene didn't realize it wasn't the sound of the bike she was expecting when she threw open the door.

"OH SHIT!" She jumped behind the door at the sight of her father standing at the threshold.

"Jesus Christ, Jolene!" Clay cried, one hand flying up to cover his eyes. "Go put some clothes on!" He chastised as Jolene bolted for her bedroom. Shaking his head, Clay entered the house and made his way into the living room.

Wearing her tank top and pajama bottoms with her fluffy white robe wrapped tightly around her, Jolene entered the living room on shaky legs. Refusing to let herself panic until she had to, Jolene sat on the edge of the couch as she watched her father look out into the darkened backyard through the patio door, his cigar dangling from the corner of his mouth.

"I don't know what kind of arrangement you and your old man had regarding disclosure," Clay started, still staring out the patio door. "But as my kid, all you need to know is that it's over. Those men, their names never to be spoken out loud again, are no longer a threat, okay?" He turned and looked straight into Jolene's frightened eyes.

"Where's Jax?"

Clay cursed himself for thinking he could remain emotionally detached, especially since he knew he was doing the right thing. He hadn't been prepared for the pain he could see in her overly expressive eyes. She knew exactly what was coming.

"He told me about San Diego and the scholarship, Jolene and how he wants to you to take it." Clay started, but Jolene was shaking her head.

"Where is he, Dad?" Jolene got up, looking around the living room for her handbag. "Clubhouse? Your place? Where? Please tell me." She asked, prepared to head out of the house in her pajamas.

"Reno."

Stunned, Jolene fell back down onto the couch.

"He said he needed to clear his head and he wanted to give you some space so that you could plan your next move." Clay explained.

Jolene was staring at Clay. She loved her father, but if there was anyone, aside from Gemma, that could read him like a book, that would be her. Clay Morrow was her hero. He had saved her from her crazy mother and an uncertain future. He would always be her knight in shining body armor riding an iron horse, but if he had anything to do with Jax needing to "clear" his head, she knew right then and there that she would never be able to forgive him.

Jax was hurting and instead of coming home to her, to the one person that could ease that pain and take it away, he had run away to Reno, falling, no doubt, into old habits. It was breaking her heart thinking of the man she loved seeking comfort with other women because she knew that's exactly what he would be doing. He'd done it before. In the beginning, before their flirty games had morphed into something more, he had run off to Reno in an effort to keep himself from facing the feelings he had for her. Jax was doing it again, hoping that by burying himself in cheap pussy and booze he'd be able to pull her out from under his skin and push her out of his life.

He was wrong.

Even though the thought of Jax with other women was killing her, he couldn't hide out in Reno forever. For the first time in their relationship, Jolene would have to adopt the what-happens-on-a-run-stays-on-a-run mentality and when he returned, she was going to prove to him that she would _always_ be his constant.

Somehow, they were going to see their way out of this, whether her father wanted them to or not.


	24. Back to Black

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.**

* * *

With less than two weeks left until his retirement, Agent Reinhardt knew when he woke up this morning that he should have used some of his accumulated time off and just called in sick. Reinhardt had put off following up with Kyle Hobart until his superiors had vetted the Intel he had provided. Apparently, Hobart had proved to be the real deal and his supervisor, Special Agent Samuelson, was eager to reel him in. Only problem, Kyle seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. Reinhardt had spent the better part of a week looking for him to no avail. He tried convincing Samuelson that Kyle probably had a change of heart, even though he knew that Hobart had repeatedly called his office looking to finalize a deal. He didn't want to rock the boat with that little nugget of information, but Reinhardt's gut told him that if Kyle had fallen off the face of the earth, someone had most definitely helped him along his merry way.

Still, Reinhardt hoped that he could stonewall the Hobart matter just a little while longer. Just long enough to drop it into the lap of the next schmuck in line for his office, but lately, if Reinhardt didn't have bad luck, he'd have no luck at all.

Working off the Intel provided by Kyle, and with the Stockton field office providing back up, the ATF had arranged for a raid of the Sons' next shipment from Ireland. According to what Kyle had told them, the expected shipment was for the smaller hardware. Although not what SAMCRO was known for, the Glocks and TEC-9s had provided a lucrative business for the MC while the IRA had been stymied in importing their signature hardware of AKs and MAC-10s a few years ago. The import and receipt of illegal firearms, no matter how small, was still a federal offense and netting the Sons would only aid the ATF in going after the big fish in SAMCRO's small pond, the Real IRA.

Last night's raid had gone off without a hitch, that is, unless you considered complete and utter failure a hitch. On the scene had been two Club members to pick up their shipment, Alexander "Tig" Trager and Juan Carlos "Juice" Ortiz. As the ATF stormed the dock, both men, with their arms up in the air, quickly assumed a prone position on the ground. Turns out, both men were unarmed. A pat down only produced what looked like legit customs documentation for an order of liquor and that's exactly what the ATF found when they cracked open the container unit from Ireland, two dozen barrels of Irish Whiskey.

When questioned as to what a small charter like SAMCRO could possibly do with twenty-four barrels of whiskey, Tig replied, with a shit-eating grin, "We _really_ love to party, man."

Pissed and irate, Samuelson had called Reinhardt into his office even before his ass could hit a chair to enjoy his first cup of coffee of the day. He wanted Kyle Hobart in his office and Reinhardt had until the end of the day to produce him. Pissed and irate quickly turned into fury and indignation as Reinhardt finally came clean on what he had gathered while digging into Hobart's likely "change of heart".

Apparently, it had been almost two weeks since Kyle had returned to work or to the shithole trailer he'd been living in. According to the manager of the casino Kyle had been working in, he was last seen speaking to a man on a motorcycle in the parking lot. This was confirmed by video surveillance footage the manager had reluctantly let Reinhardt see. As there was no crime in two men talking in a parking lot, the manager refused to turn over the tape because it was his "duty" to protect the privacy of his customers and, if Reinhardt wanted the tape, either a subpoena (or cash, wink-wink) would have to be produced ASAP. Gleaning what he needed from the tape, namely the license plate number on the Dyna-Glide, Reinhardt told the manager he'd get back to him.

Ultimately, Reinhardt was able to confirm that the man Kyle had been speaking to was indeed a member of the same MC Hobart had been affiliated with. In spite of the fact that his 40-something year old supervisor was somewhat of a health nut, Reinhardt was convinced Samuelson was about to stroke out he was so livid. Not only had Reinhardt dropped at least half a dozen balls, but he had failed to report on his findings to his superiors immediately. The ATF's one solid lead into SAMCRO's direct connection to the Real IRA had gone missing right after coming into contact with his former Club.

_Really? What the fuck do you think happened to him, Reinhardt?_

Finding the answer to that question was why, ten days before his retirement, J.R. Reinhardt was currently on the road, after flying into Oakland, and on his way to a bumblefuck town called Charming. If Reinhardt couldn't produce Kyle Hobart, Samuelson insisted, then he sure as hell was going to reel someone in and, thanks to the surveillance tape Samuelson had no trouble confiscating from the casino, he was going to start with the last person to see Hobart in the parking lot that night. Jackson Teller.

* * *

With Chief Unser out and about for most of the day, no doubt working on some business or other for the Sons, he had left Deputy Hale in charge. And fortune could not have chosen a better time to shine down on him! Hale had just picked up the log of phone calls into the station house last night from dispatch and was about to follow up with several deputies when the unexpected happened.

An agent from the ATF's Las Vegas field office came into Charming PD wanting to speak to the man in charge. There was only one reason why the ATF would be in Charming and it seemed that he and the man that identified himself as Special Agent J.R. Reinhardt were going to have a lot to talk about.

Hale was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning as he shook the Agent's hand and led him into an empty office next to Unser's. Reinhardt, a tall and bulky man who must have been built like a Mack truck in his younger days, wearily threw himself into the chair offered by Hale.

"So, what can Charming PD do for the federal government?" Hale asked as he leaned against the desk with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Right now, I'd like to pick your brain regarding your town's local biker gang. Although the Sons of Anarchy are not unknown to the ATF with several members presently in federal lock-up, they are a rather tight knit group, so there isn't a whole lot of public information available." Reinhardt explained. "I have to believe though, that a suspected crime syndicate with ties to one town for over 30 years would have a long history with local law enforcement."

Hale couldn't help but laugh good-naturedly. "It seems you have impeccable timing, Agent Reinhardt. Any other day and you might find yourself stonewalled in your fact-finding efforts by said local law enforcement."

Reinhardt quirked an eyebrow at Hale and nodded his head, understanding the implication of Hale's words. More likely than not, most, if not the majority, of Charming PD was on SAMCRO's payroll. "Unfortunately, Deputy Hale, that seems to be par for the course. An organization like SAMCRO could not operate efficiently and under the radar in such a small town without the aid of the local PD. Sometimes the very men chosen to protect and serve have no choice but to make a deal with the devil in order to maintain the peace." He replied, much to Hale's complete shock. "I've been in Charming less than an hour and I can already tell that quality-of-life issues are virtually non-existent, am I right?"

"There is no drug trade in Charming and most people do feel comfortable enough to leave their homes unlocked, but I wouldn't praise SAMCRO as being responsible." Hale responded.

"Then you are not seeing the whole picture, Deputy." Reinhardt advised. "The expression 'you don't shit where you eat' is quite fitting in this situation. The mere presence of an outlaw biker organization keeps the town on their best behavior, so to speak. The last thing the MC needs is for rampant petty crimes and vice to call attention to their home base of operation. Less crime, means less interference from law enforcement, including federal agencies, which makes the need for a confidential informant a necessary evil."

"Confidential informant? You mean to tell me there's a rat in SAMCRO? Is that what brought you to town?" Hale asked and Reinhardt nodded.

"Well, actually, it's the _disappearance_ of someone the ATF had hoped would have been very helpful in taking down SAMCRO and those affiliated with them that brings me here. Does the name Kyle Hobart ring a bell?" Reinhardt asked.

 _Shit, that name was ringing the bells of St. Mary's_ , Hale thought.

"Kyle Hobart is your rat?" Hale asked and Reinhardt once again nodded. "He's been an SOA member for nearly twenty years. Why would he flip now?"

"This is pure conjecture and many years of experience talking, but my guess is that he ran for his life to Las Vegas. The possibility of massive jail time or an extremely painful death are the only reasons assholes like him flip. He probably pissed off the wrong guy and, judging by the fact that he's been missing a couple weeks now, I'd say Mr. Wrong finally caught up with him." Reinhardt explained.

"Any idea who that Mr. Wrong might be?" Hale asked.

Pulling out his little notebook from the inside pocket of his suit jacket, Reinhardt read off the name, "Jackson Teller."

 _Ho-lee shit!_ Christmas had just turned into Hale winning the lottery.

So many things were falling into place with hearing Teller's name drop from Agent Reinhardt's lips that Hale couldn't believe he hadn't pulled it all together before. The shooting and Jolene's near-death experience, the lockdown that went on forever, April Hobart leaving Charming after her husband had left her, and now discovering that Kyle had taken off to Las Vegas and was about to rat on SAMCRO. If one could convict on circumstantial evidence alone, it all made sense and it all made Teller appear as guilty as sin. Kyle Hobart was probably behind the shooting of Jax Teller and his old lady. Hale doubted Kyle had been the trigger man. He had more than likely farmed out the hit. From past encounters, although Kyle proudly wore the Reaper on his back, he never impressed Hale as an all-around tough guy. He probably stuck around town waiting for Jolene to die, _the piece of shit_ , only taking off and abandoning his wife and kids once she came out of her coma.

 _The possibility of massive jail time or an_ _extremely painful death_ _are the only reasons assholes like him flip_ , Reinhardt had said.

Jax Teller would move heaven and earth for Jolene Morrow. He'd also make sure that the man or men responsible for her near-death paid with blood. Lots of it. And during his interview with Jolene about the shooting, both Jax and Clay seemed just a little too well-adjusted to the fact that they believed they would never find the shooter. _Bullshit!_ If Hale was right on his assumption, Reinhardt was never going to find Kyle Hobart and no body meant no proof of a crime ever having been committed, but Hale would bet his own life that he was right.

Pushing himself away from the desk, Hale went to retrieve the file on the shooting. "Wait right here."

* * *

Even though Jax seemed to have borrowed Jolene's lead foot as he barreled down the highway towards Charming, the ride back from Reno had been the longest three hours of his life. Today was the first time in two weeks that Jax had woken up sober. With sobriety came clarity and, apparently, the ability to see the future. Lying in bed, next to probably the biggest mistake of his life, Jax opened his eyes and saw his life without Jolene and it scared the living shit out of him. What he had seen was Jolene moving on with her life in San Diego and the pain stabbed him in the heart. As horrifying as watching her nearly bleed out on the street had been, it was knowing that she was alive and living without him that hurt like fuck.

_What was I thinking?_

He hadn't been thinking. Jax couldn't even fall back on the old adage that he'd been thinking with the wrong head because, even though he thought he could purge Jolene out of his life by fucking other women, he knew that was bullshit. Although a ladies' man from birth, all the pussy that the Reno charter or Antoine had to offer paled in comparison. Every encounter had left him lost and empty, drowning in self-loathing and longing for the one woman who was imbedded in his heart and had become a part of his DNA.

_Jesus Christ!_

He couldn't bear the thought that he was rushing home to an empty house. Jolene had called him several times during the first days of his Reno road trip. He let each one of her calls go to voice-mail and she never left a message. Soon, she stopped calling altogether. He didn't know what had stung worse, her never leaving a message for him to come home or to at least call her back or that she had seemingly given up after a few days. Once, in an alcohol-induced stupor, he had drunk-dialed her at three o'clock in the morning. The call went straight to voice-mail, but he couldn't even leave a message slurred through a fifth of Jack because her voice-mail box had been full. Even worse, she had never bothered to return his call.

Clay understood why he had to get away, he even encouraged it, and Jax had never bothered to call Gemma or Bobby because he knew the ass-chewing he was in for. The only one he trusted enough to give it to him straight was his best friend Opie. Yeah, Opie had cut him a new one for leaving his old lady waiting on him, especially when they needed each other the most, but he could count on Ope for his honest assessment of the situation back home. Gemma was livid and itching to stick her size 9 foot up his ass. Bobby was sullen and had apparently adopted Clay's over-protectiveness concerning Jolene as now Clay seemed more relaxed and less tense regarding his daughter. He was fine with her going back to her own home alone and thought it was fantastic that Jolene was back to working at the garage, even if just for the short term.

Opie had not seen or heard from Jolene the first few days of his absence. Then one day, she just showed up at the Clubhouse as snarky and as perky and as beautiful as ever, as if she didn't have a care in the world. She never once asked about Jax and if he was ever the topic of conversation, Jolene would always find an excuse to see herself out of the discussion.

Jax had let his guilt and fear of losing another loved one override his rational brain. He saw himself as the rock others broke on and, once again, Jax had let guilt be the basis of his decision-making process. He had already lost so much in terms of the people he loved—his baby brother, his father—nearly losing Jolene had broken _him_. Guilt was his Achilles' heel and Clay knew this and had played him like a fiddle. With both Kyle and Whistler just bad memories, so was the threat to his old lady. It dawned on him, maybe a bit too late, that she would never be safer or more secure than by his side, surrounded by the Club she loved like a family.

His daughter she might be, but Jax was done listening to Clay about what he felt was best for Jolene. Jax was on his way back home to reclaim his woman and his life.

After pickling his brain and his liver for almost fourteen days, accepting that Jolene belonged with him—and only him—was the easy part. Shaking himself free of the croweater that had latched onto him—he couldn't even remember when—had been the difficult part. She had insisted that she was coming back to Charming with him. Even though Jax didn't have a cruel streak when it came to women, even he couldn't resist bitterly laughing in her face. He was going home to the _one_ woman he loved, the woman whose name had slipped out once or twice as Jax had fucked the croweater because he couldn't even care enough to remember her goddamn name. She had to keep reminding him each time they had hooked up. All Jax knew was that she looked familiar and it only dawned on him once he had sobered up and was packing his shit to head home that she was the same croweater Jolene had beat the snot out of in Indian Hills.

 _Fuck! I am a prick_ , he thought as he had slipped into his cut and out the door before what's-her-name finished taking a shower.

Jax pulled into the T-M parking lot and the first thing he noticed was Jolene's cobalt blue Mustang and his heart literally leaped in his chest. Quickly parking his bike, Jax ripped off his helmet and went in search of his old lady.

Not finding her in the office, Jax walked through the garage and was met by several strange looks from the mechanics on duty, but no Jolene. Bee-lining it to the Clubhouse, Jax was confronted by the grim faces of his brothers. He could hear Clay talking to someone on the phone in the Chapel. Jax's jaw clenched involuntarily as he realized that Clay sounded agitated.

"What's going on?" He asked, his eyes darting around the Main Room. "Where's Jo?"

"Well, aren't you the king of fucked up timing?" Tig snarked as he threw back a shot of Patron with Piney at the bar.

"You just walked into the perfect shitstorm, brother." Bobby started. "Clay's on the phone with Rosen's office. Hale picked Jolene up this morning for questioning regarding the shooting."

Jax felt his heart ice over as he imagined all the ways he could kill Hale. "Why?"

"Seems some new information has surfaced and Hale is calling bullshit on Jolene's statement." Opie explained.

"We just got back from the station house. The asshole's not letting anyone talk to her." Bobby added.

"Clay doesn't want anyone questioning her until Rosen gets his ass over here, but it seems our shark-for-hire is duty bound to defend some douche bag on trial for murder. A client or some shit like that." Tig explained, but Jax barely heard him as he headed out the door and back to his bike, with Opie and Chibs right behind him.

* * *

From his desk across the station house, Hale was tapping a pen on his leg as he watched Jolene Morrow being escorted back to the interrogation room from the ladies' room by a female deputy. She took a seat at the table and started toying with the label on her half-empty bottle of water as she prepared herself to wait and wait. Looking from the watch on her dainty wrist to the clock on the wall, she briefly made eye contact with Hale and tried to smile. She failed miserably, but even the half-grimace couldn't deter from her delicate beauty. Hale pushed himself up from his seat and made his way over to Jolene.

Leaning against the doorjamb, Hale asked, "Can I get you anything, Jolene? A fresh bottle of water, some coffee?"

Jolene shook her head violently. Ugh, she had just finished throwing up the bottle of water she had been sipping on since arriving at the station house. "No, thanks," Jolene rubbed her hands on her denim-clad thighs. "But you can tell me when I'm getting out of here." She suggested.

Hale shook his head slightly. "You realize you could have been out of here by now if Clay hadn't demanded that an attorney be present. You're not under arrest, Jolene."

"Okay, then let's get this over with. I have people counting on me to be there for them later." Jolene replied, thinking of Donna and her promise to pick up Kenny and Ellie from daycare early for a doctor's appointment.

After reading and re-reading the file on the shooting of Jolene and Jax, Agent Reinhardt suggested that Jax Teller _and_ Jolene Morrow be brought in for questioning. Hale insisted that Jolene be left out of the initial interrogation as she had already cooperated and had signed her sworn statement. Unless they had a reason to believe she had been lying, there was no point in bringing her in. As Teller was the last known person to have contact with Kyle Hobart, it didn't make sense subjecting her to additional stress as she was still recovering. Reinhardt argued that bringing Jax Teller's old lady in at the same time might put the pressure on him. Although hardened criminals usually proved hard nuts to crack during interrogations, the knowledge that an innocent loved one was being subjected to the same type of interrogation usually helped in exposing cracks in their well-practiced façade. Reluctantly, Hale had headed down to T-M earlier to do the ATF's bidding out of fear that he would be perceived as aiding the outlaw club by running interference. When Jolene had advised him that Jax was in Reno, Hale had no choice but to bring her in.

Approaching the interrogation room, Reinhardt tapped Hale on the shoulder and nudged him aside. "Am I to understand that you are waiving your right to an attorney, Miss Morrow?"

Jolene looked at the large, white-haired man with a quirked eyebrow. "Waiving my right to an attorney? Who are you and am I being charged with some sort of crime?"

Hale was about to speak up, to assure her again that she was not under arrest and that it was his duty to inform her that she could leave at any time, but Reinhardt basically shushed him away by asking, "Can you leave us alone, Deputy?"

Fighting the urge to throw up again, Jolene turned wide doe eyes on Hale and he suddenly felt an overwhelming need to protect her.

"No." Hale replied simply. "Jolene, you are free to leave at any time."

Jolene was about to stand up when Reinhardt said authoritatively, "No, you are not, Miss Morrow. I am Special Agent Jacob Reinhardt with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. I need to ask you some questions regarding your connection to the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original."

Jolene nodded. "Yes, I know SAMCRO." She responded. "My father is the mother charter's President, but I wouldn't know why the ATF would need to question me about anything relating to the Club."

"Jackson Teller, he's . . . your 'old man'?" Reinhardt asked.

"Yes, but I'm still not understanding why I'm here and unless you tell me soon, I'm going to have to leave."

Agent Reinhardt was about to disabuse her of the notion that she was free to go and was prepared to put the screws to her before her father managed to get an attorney down here when none other than Jax Teller stormed into the station house and towards the interrogation room, followed by Opie and Chibs. Stopping at the door, Jax glared from Hale to the white-haired man, his eyes only softening when they met Jolene's. It took every ounce of willpower she had, but, gripping the sides of her chair, Jolene managed to keep herself from leaping to her feet and into his arms. From clear across the room, Jax could feel her holding back and he prayed that it was only her current situation that kept her glued to her chair and out of his arms.

Holding his gloved hand out, Jax beckoned to Jolene, "Come on, darlin'. Let's get out of here." Jolene was on her feet, her hand in his, even before he had finished speaking.

"I assume you're Jax Teller." Reinhardt commented.

"I assume you realize that neither one of us," Jax said, indicating Jolene. "Are under any obligation to speak to you, whoever you are." From the way the cheap suit hung on his large frame, the man just screamed Fed, Jax's least favorite of all law enforcement.

"That's not entirely true, Mr. Teller, but if you insist," Reinhardt replied. "We'll do this your way. I understand how busy you must be tooling around town on your little bike, but please, do try to make some time to speak with me and soon, with an attorney present, of course."

Jax smirked. "And who the fuck are you?" He questioned.

"Special Agent Reinhardt with the ATF, Las Vegas division." Reinhardt said deliberately, but Jax was unfazed.

"Well, Special Agent Reinhardt with the ATF, _Las Vegas_ division, the only way that's gonna happen is if you arrest me. Otherwise, I'm taking my old lady home."

* * *

"Ya headin' home, brutha?" Chibs asked as the three men left the station house and approached their bikes, with Jax leading Jolene by the hand, his grip firm.

"Yeah, but I'll drop by the Clubhouse later. I need to talk to Clay." Jax replied as he handed Jolene his helmet.

"I need to go back to the garage," Jolene spoke to Jax for the first time in two weeks. "If you could drop me off, I'd appreciate it. If not, I'm sure Hale can give me a ride."

Taken by surprise, Jax could do very little to hide the hurt, quickly followed by the anger that set his eyes blazing.

"Over my dead body." Jax replied with angry, flared nostrils.

"Regardless of the how, I still need to go to the garage and pick up my car." Jolene responded without anger, in a calm and casual tone.

Remembering Jolene's promise to Donna that she'd pick the kids up from daycare, Opie spoke up. "Jo, I can take the kids to the doctor." He offered, hopefully putting an end to the butting of the heads that was sure to follow.

Jolene was shaking her head. "I made a commitment to Donna and I don't take shit like that lightly, Ope. Besides, I promised the kids pizza afterward and I don't want to disappoint them either. "

Jax ran his hand over his face. "We need to talk, Jolene." He said, his jaw set tight.

"Jax, I didn't know you were coming back home today. It's not fair asking me to drop everything, especially when I've already given my word." Jolene retorted, her hand on her cocked hip. "You've waited two weeks to talk with me. I'm sure whatever was important enough to wait that long can wait another few hours."

Frustrated, Jax gave up, jumped onto this bike, and waited for Jolene.

"I'll drop the kids off at Mary's, if that's okay, Ope." Jolene said.

"That's fine, Jo." Opie replied, silently mouthing at Jolene behind Jax's back, "Talk to him."

Jolene nodded, mouthing back at Opie "I will," before getting on the bike. _If and when I'm ready_ , she thought to herself _._

She wrapped her arms around his middle and Jax paused to savor the sensation. Unable to stop himself, his hand squeezed hers gently. Jolene closed her eyes and for a moment she was tempted to drop a kiss on the side of his scruffy face.

"You need a shave." She breathed against his ear instead, sending shivers down his spine.

Jax let himself smile a little. Maybe it wasn't all lost after all.

* * *

Jolene was procrastinating. She knew this. Sitting in the small pizza parlor near Lumpy's Gym, Jolene listened intently as the twins babbled incessantly about this, that, and the other, all the while their respective slices of pizza were getting cold. At one point, Jolene had the teenage boy behind the counter heat up their slices one more time. Although she had told Ope that she would drop the kids off at Mary's after their routine check-up and next round of vaccines, Jolene decided to wait until 5 o'clock and just drop the kids off at home once Donna got out of work.

She was in no more of a rush to get home as Jax had been two weeks ago. Seeing him today had shocked her to the core. Jolene didn't know what she had been expecting. Charming was Jax's home after all and he was SAMCRO's VP. Logic dictated that he would eventually come home, but she hadn't been prepared. By swooping in and coming to her rescue today, he had ripped off the mask of self-confidence she had been hiding behind for the past two weeks. Seeing him today only served to remind her of the devastation she had felt when he had taken off without warning. She had expected him to take a few days to "clear" his head, not two weeks. Jolene had given up on calling him after those first few days because she knew exactly what she would be confronted with if he had ever answered his phone. It took every ounce of pride she had to walk into that Clubhouse three days after her old man had taken off on a solo run to Reno. Anyone who had known Jax before Jolene knew exactly what one of his solo runs entailed.

The pain on her dear friend's face told Donna what was coming when Jolene had brought the kids home. Even before she opened her mouth, Donna could tell something was up, so Donna pulled her in for a cup of coffee. Without Jolene saying a word about Jax's unexpected return, Donna could see that the strong, independent Jolene she had quickly grown accustomed to over the last couple of weeks was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the sullen and insecure woman she had become after the shooting had returned and Donna knew that could only mean one thing: Jax was home.

Sitting in the Winstons' eat-in kitchen, while nursing a cup of black coffee, Jolene could see the kids playing in the living room just off to the side of the kitchen. In spite of the fact that Kenny had a bunch of cars and several action figures spread out before him as Ellie cradled a doll in her arms, they were actually playing together, connected to each other's thoughts in that secret, wordless language twins seemed to share.

"I know you didn't come in to watch my kids play, Jo." Donna started as she refilled both their cups. "What's going on?"

"Jax came home today." Jolene replied, her finger swirling around the rim of her mug as she avoided looking Donna in the eye.

_I knew it!_

"Is that a bad thing?" Donna was never sure with those two. They fought as hard as they loved, but this was the first time in their four years together that Jax had ever taken off on a solo run to Reno.

Old habits die hard and tend to resurface when you feel you have nothing left to cling to. Opie only ever shared as much as he had to with Donna regarding Club business, but she knew that the Club's recent trip to Nevada had taken a toll on her husband, as well as other members of the Club. Without going into detail, Opie had informed Donna that Jax had been the hardest hit by the events of that trip and that, in the state he'd been in, maybe it had been a good idea him heading to Reno after all.

Donna had relayed that bit of insight to Jolene, but Jolene knew the real reason for the Club's road trip to Las Vegas. While she understood that Jax did not take matters of life and death lightly, whatever bad feelings he had been slammed with, he should have come home and let her do her job as his old lady. It was her responsibility to comfort, to love, to listen, and, according to Gemma, to let him cry on her shoulder if he had to. Instead, he chose the comfort of all the vices that had been his fail-safe in the past, before her—booze, weed, and cheap women ready to spread for anyone with a patch. It was almost like the last four years together had never happened. After their fight over the San Diego scholarship, it was almost like Jax was trying to make her hate him enough to leave.

Contemplating Donna's last question, Jolene finally responded. "I don't know." She shook her head. "Part of me felt like a giddy teenager when I saw him this afternoon. The other part, a bigger part, wanted me to tell him to fuck off. He abandoned me, D. He stuck with me through the worst of it all, then he just upped and left when I thought that everything that's happened in the last couple of months was finally behind us."

"He loves you, Jo."

"I know, D and I love him," Jolene hesitated. "But I'm not naïve. I know what he was up to in Reno. He may have been hurting then, but knowing he's been unfaithful is hurting me now."

"Have you spoken to him yet? Do you know for sure he's been unfaithful?" Donna asked sincerely, causing Jolene to flash her an incredulous look.

"I wish I could say I didn't."

Donna shook her head. "I know it must hurt, Jo, but men deal with shit differently. Sometimes sex is just sex."

"Funny, but it didn't feel like just sex to me every time we hit the sack. It felt like he loved me." Jolene said sarcastically. "All I can think about is, have I been fooling myself? Was it ever really love on his part?" She couldn't help but hear her father's warnings echoing in her head.

"Jo, that's your insecurity talking, sweetie. Remember what you told me a long time ago?" She asked and Jolene just looked at her blankly. "The love you have for your man should always remain the constant. Everything else is adaptable. With the lives our men live, truer words have never been spoken. Jax needs you as much as you need him. He was devastated when he thought he was going to lose you and it was probably driving him crazy thinking that he had failed to take care of his old lady. Instead of living the rest of his life carrying around the fear that it would happen again, Reno was his crazy, fucked up way of dealing with it. Doesn't make it right and it certainly doesn't excuse him, but he was giving you an out because he loves you."

Donna's words were still ringing in her head as Jolene drove up to the house. An out? She didn't need or want an out. She wanted control of her life again. She wanted an old man she could trust.

With Jax's bike in the driveway, Jolene parked on the street, not wanting to block him in if he should decide to take off on her again. Entering the house, Jolene was hit was the faint smell of Jack Daniels and weed.

_Shit, what the hell am I walking into?_

With no sign of Jax in the living room or patio, Jolene walked through the house. Passing the kitchen on her way to the bedroom, Jolene spotted Jax sitting at the table in the darkened kitchen, a joint in his hand and not one, but three empty bottles of Jack sitting on the counter.

Catching the look of disbelief on her face, Jax quickly got up from his seat, shaking his head. "Those bottles went down the drain, darlin'. Trust me, I've had enough to last me a lifetime."

Putting her purse on the chair opposite Jax, Jolene pointed at the joint. "Gimme a hit."

Jax quirked an eyebrow at her. "Shotgun?" He was trying hard, but Jolene could see the smile threatening to break out on his face in his bright eyes.

"Works for me."

Approaching her, Jax put the lit joint in his mouth backwards, biting down on it as he gently grabbed Jolene's face, his hands practically buried in her hair. Cupping her hands over his mouth, Jolene inhaled the smoke as Jax exhaled. After a second hit, Jolene cautiously removed the joint and didn't back away when his mouth sought hers. His kiss was soft and gentle, demanding only as much as she was willing to give. Jolene felt herself melting into him and was tempted to just let herself go.

"I love you, Jo." He nearly whispered, still cradling her face in his hands. "I'm so sorry."

Suddenly, brought back to their reality, Jolene looked into his eyes suddenly darkened by the intensity she could feel coiled around him. "Do you really love me, Jax?" She asked and Jolene could see the pained look she had seen earlier today return to his face.

"Too much." He replied, a little sad that she would doubt him enough to ask. "So much that sometimes I think it's gonna drive me crazy, Jo.

"Loving someone shouldn't hurt." She was referring to the pain they were both obviously in.

"I know."

"Do you?" Jolene pulled away. As much as she wanted to push it away, she couldn't let him get away with what he'd done to her without being called out on it. "The MC world is a lot smaller than you think, Jax. There's a whole network of croweaters who make the rounds, jumping from charter to charter and they stick together. Gossip makes its way back to Charming and they wasted no time in letting me know that my old man was fucking around on me. Do you realize how much that hurts?"

Jax rubbed his hands over his face. "Who was it?" He demanded angrily. "Who said something to you?"

Jolene smiled bitterly. "You're not even gonna deny it." She shook her head sadly as she took another hit from the joint still in her hand. "You just don't get it. I'm used to the croweaters trash-talking about us. For years, their favorite topic of conversation has been how you hooked up with me _only_ because Clay's my father and, more recently, that's the only reason you stayed with me even though I was a scarred up mess. None of it ever bothered me because I knew it wasn't true. This Reno shit is killing me, Jax because this time, I know it's all true."

Jax was looking at Jolene, his eyes moist. He didn't know what to say. He had no excuse for what he had done, but he'll be damned before he let her go. "Tell me how to fix this, baby. I'll do anything."

Jolene took a deep breath and it came out a shudder. She handed him the joint, which he took, his eyes never leaving her face. "Honestly, I don't know if you can fix it, Jax. You did what you felt you had to do. Now it's my turn."

As she turned to leave the kitchen, Jax reached out and grabbed her by the hand. "Jo, please," He started and stopped as he felt a tear hit his cheek. "Tell me what that means because I don't like the sound of it, darlin'."

Before she could stop herself, Jolene reached up and wiped the tear track from his face. Jax grabbed her hand again and kissed it.

 _So help me God, but I love this man_.

"If you still need to talk to my dad, you should go do that and maybe it would be best if you stayed at the Clubhouse for now, too." She said as Jax shook his head and Jolene nodded. "I need time to think, Jax. I need time to clear _my_ head."

 _And I can't do that if I keep looking at you, longing for you to put your arms around me_.

Jax cleared his throat. "Time apart is not gonna help us, baby."

"Probably not," Jolene nodded sadly, suddenly swiping away at errant tears. "But you should have thought of that two weeks ago." She pulled her hand out of his and left the kitchen.

* * *

With their shipment of the smaller hardware foiled, the Club needed to come through with LaRoy's order for three dozen AKs to stay afloat. That, coupled with the fact that LaRoy needed the hardware to secure a shipment of H from the Far East, SAMCRO could not afford failing to come through or they would lose 90% of their business by pissing off the Niners. After the Feds' failed raid in Oakland, McKeavey was skittish about doing business with the Sons so soon, but the MC weren't the only ones that needed the business. The RIRA needed SAMCRO to stay flush and to continue funding the Cause.

With the ATF setting up shop in Charming until Jax agreed to come in for questioning, McKeavey diverted the shipment to Vancouver while Clay threw the ATF off their scent by sending Jax into the lion's den. While Chibs and Opie headed up North to help the Tacoma charter transport their shipment over the border and down to Indian Hills, Jax turned himself over to the Feds for questioning bright and early three days after his return from Reno. He spent the next twelve hours being thoroughly interrogated by Agent Reinhardt. In spite of Jax waiving his right to an attorney, both Hale and Reinhardt soon realized that they were getting nowhere real fast.

Reinhardt was unable to question Jax regarding Kyle Hobart just in case his confidential informant was still around and, until he had more than just video of the two men talking in a parking lot, there was no crime to investigate. Instead, Reinhardt pressed him about the shooting, trying to get Jax to slip up and provide a motive for the hit on him and his old lady. Hale had shared his theory about Hobart's probable involvement in the shooting, but Jax stuck to his story about being at the wrong place at the wrong time, never wavering from the details from one retelling of the incident to the next. The run-around went around for hours, and it was soon clear to Jax that they were keeping him at the station house just to bust his balls. They had no reason to hold him and whatever new information had surfaced, they weren't too keen on sharing. After spending way more time than any human being should ever have to with Deputy Hale, they finally let Jax go, _after_ SAMCRO's shipment had made it to Indian Hills and several more members and Prospects had already taken off to Nevada to help with the assembly, with law enforcement none the wiser.

It was almost ten o'clock that night when Clay saw Jax pull into the parking lot as he geared up for his ride home. Without saying a word, Jax headed to the Clubhouse. They had barely spoken to each other since Jax had returned to Charming and had nearly come to blows when Jax told Clay that he had changed his mind about letting Jolene go. Knowing that the apple didn't fall from the tree, Clay hoped that his daughter's stubborn pride kept her from taking Jax back and the fact that Jax had been crashing at the Clubhouse since his return continued to stoke the fire of Clay's hope that Jolene had permanently kicked him to the curb. Just in case Jolene refused to come to her senses on her own, Clay had a plan to arrange for an insurance policy that was all but guaranteed to keep Jax from snaking his way back into her life. As much as he knew it would hurt his little girl, Clay was prepared to do whatever necessary to slap Jolene with a face full of knowledge. Pealing out of the parking lot, barely able to contain the grin on his face from spreading, Clay didn't see his daughter approaching T-M from the opposite direction.

Unable to stomach the sight of croweaters, Jax decided to forgo hanging out in the Main Room and headed straight to his dorm. Peeling himself out of his cut and flannel shirt, Jax threw himself on the bed and lit a cigarette. Being forced to relive the day of the shooting over and over for hours today had put Jax's head in a weird place. He had been tempted to head straight home and drop to his knees. He felt no shame at the thought of begging Jolene to take him back, but knew he couldn't take it if she sent him packing again. Jax hadn't had a drink since his return, but he'd be damned if he couldn't use one right about now.

Startled out of his thoughts by light rapping on his door, Jax nearly jumped out of bed when the door opened. God help any croweater that came at him with the promise of a good time. In his frame of mind, he couldn't be held responsible if he pulled his Glock and started shooting.

"Is it okay if I come in?"

Jax nearly gulped, trying to swallow his heart as it leapt to his throat.

"You never have to ask, darlin."

Jolene entered the room and closed the door behind her, a slight smile curling Jax's lips as he heard the soft click of the lock falling into place. Facing him again, Jolene unzipped her fitted leather jacket. Letting it fall from her nearly-bare shoulders, she dropped it on the chair with his cut. She was wearing a cherry red tank top and black yoga pants that clung to her perfectly round ass, with her midnight curls pulled back into a messy ponytail. She never looked more beautiful.

Climbing onto the bed on her knees, Jax held his breath as she knelt beside him and reached out to tuck his hair behind his ear, before letting her hand skim lightly over his shoulder. Jax searched her face as he shivered beneath her touch.

"I heard that ATF guy held you for questioning today for over twelve hours. You okay, baby?" She almost whispered. Jax's eyes briefly fluttered closed as he inhaled the rose water-scented body wash clinging to her exposed flesh.

"Nothing I can't handle, darlin'." He smiled, his eyes falling to her soft, pillowy lips as the tip of her tongue nervously darted over them. Jax wanted to kiss her so badly, but was afraid any sudden movement would make her go away, proving that he was dreaming with his eyes wide open.

When Unser had called to inform her that Jax had turned himself over for questioning, Jolene had panicked. Having Agent Reinhardt from the ATF's Las Vegas field office drop into Charming out of the blue was just too much of a damn coincidence. No one had discussed the Kyle situation with her, but Jolene remembered her conversation with April all too well.

 _Apparently he's found some new deal and wants me and kids to just pick up and leave town, without telling_ _anyone_ _, not my parents, not even the Club_.

The ATF beating a path to SAMCRO's door was all the confirmation Jolene needed. She smelled a rat and because of Jax's need to avenge what had happened to her, with Kyle probably presumed "missing", her old man was now in the Feds' cross-hairs. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him anymore than she could bear the thought of letting him go.

Jolene's chest was heaving slightly as her breathing quickened and tears sprang to her eyes, clouding her vision. "I love you, Jackson."

The words were barely out of her mouth before his hands were buried in her hair and pulling her mouth towards his. Letting her hands fall to his bare waist, Jolene clung to him, pulling Jax towards her as he kissed her deeply.

Breaking away from their kiss, Jax looked into her eyes. "I am so sorry."

"Shhh," Jolene breathed against his lips as she shook her head slightly. "We're moving on, okay?"

Jax was once again searching her face. "Okay." He half-smiled as he gently thumbed away her tears.

Jolene cupped his scruffy face in her hands, gently pushing him back onto the bed as she kissed his mouth softly. Digging his hands into her hair until he was able to gently loosen it from the scrunchy holding it back, he let the black silk cascade over them as he pulled her onto him. Straddling him, Jax ran his hands down Jolene's back, grabbing onto her ass as she rubbed the cleft between her legs against his hardening cock, a soft moan escaping her lips against his.

Cradling her face in his hands once again, Jax tried to gently nudge her away, but with her eyes avoiding his, Jolene went in for another kiss that was threatening to leave him breathless. It was in that moment that it hit Jax like a ton of bricks.

He had heard what she'd said, that she loved him and that they were moving on, and he could feel what her body was telling him, but Jax could see what Jolene's eyes were really saying, or in this case, what they weren't. He always could. The spark that was ever-present in her beautifully luminous green eyes was gone. After everything she had overcome in the last couple of months, it was killing Jax to think that he was the one that had killed the light in Jolene's eyes.

It was then that Jax realized that unless he could turn back time, they would never be the same again.


	25. The Kill

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy** **.**

* * *

Gemma was thundering through downtown Charming in her black Cadillac heading towards T-M. She had planned on taking the day off today, but her plans for some quality "girl-time" with Jolene were foiled when she showed up at her son's house and no one was home. Steering with the hand holding her cigarette, Gemma flipped down the visor and checked her lipstick in the mirror, all the while managing to keep one eye on the road. Fortunately, it was still early enough in the afternoon that kids weren't out and walking home from school yet.

With the Kyle situation taken care of, Gemma had been lulled into thinking that the rough patch the Club had been muddling through in recent months had finally smoothed itself out. Gemma kept expecting everything to go back to normal, but with her boneheaded son taking off to Reno and her pigheaded stepdaughter pretending all was right with the world, Gemma knew that the only way anything would smooth itself out was if she took control of the situation.

Gemma was starting to wonder if Unser was work-fatigued as he had failed once again to apprise her of important information concerning her son and the Club until after the fact. Apparently, an agent from the Las Vegas field office of the ATF had set up camp in the station house and had Jax turn himself in for questioning the day before. Of course, she finds this out this morning as Wayne dropped it in passing when she had run into him at the Post Office, almost like she knew what the fuck he was talking about. Now, after stopping by Jax and Jolene's place and finding it empty, with neither one picking up their pre-pays, and in spite of the fact that Unser had assured her that Jax had been released last night, Gemma was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Gemma shook her head slightly as she came to a screeching halt at a red light the block before Nicky's Diner. She hated to do it, but Gemma was going to have to bring it up to Clay or Bobby. Wayne seemed to be losing his grip on his own police department and to his own deputy Captain America, no less, who had taken it upon himself to make the ATF right at home in Charming. With everything the MC had been through, the Feds breathing down their necks was just icing on their shit cake. She especially worried about her son. The last thing Jax needed was the threat of losing his old lady distract him from the very real threat of losing his freedom.

As the light turned green, Gemma saw Jolene's car coming from the opposite direction and turn into the diner's parking lot.

"What the hell?" Gemma exclaimed as she made a quick lane change and turned left into the parking lot right behind Jolene. Parking in a spot near the entrance, Gemma jumped out of her car and trotted over to Jolene, who was doing quite a job of pretending she hadn't seen or heard Gemma peeling tires as she hauled ass into the lot.

Grabbing her by the black slouch leather bag hanging from her shoulder, Gemma pulled Jolene to a stop. "Hey, haven't seen you around. Hiding from me?" Gemma asked, only half-joking.

"No. You know where I live."

"I do, but I was just there and you weren't."

"That's because I'm here."

Gemma put her hand on her hip and gave Jolene her patented "WTF" look. "I can see that, smartass. Have you seen Jackson?"

 _Yep, here we go_.

"Yeah, we spent the night together at the Clubhouse." Jolene replied.

Gemma beamed. "That's wonderful. So, everything's back to normal?" She asked hopefully.

"I really don't want to talk about this now, Gemma." Jolene started and Gemma narrowed her eyes at her. "I'm having lunch with Pat Doyle, my college mentor and I need to stay focused." She made a move for the door.

Blocking her path with her arms crossed over her chest, Gemma nodded. "Yeah, you do need to stay focused. Focused on working shit out with your old man."

Jolene ran her hand through her thick mane of shiny black hair and Gemma could see the internal struggle to contain her shit play out in her eyes. "I respect you, Gemma. You have been like a mother to me most of my life, but if you're here to advocate for your son, I'm gonna have to ask you to back the fuck off."

Taken aback, Gemma was almost speechless. Almost.

"Now wait just a goddamn minute." Gemma started and now it was Jolene's turn to cross her arms over her chest. It took every drop of willpower that Jolene had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. "Just so that we're on the same page, let me remind you that Jax has been home for what, going on four days now and I have yet to see him. I heard he's living at the Clubhouse, but the little shit is avoiding me like the plague because he knows he's in for a mouthful of my shoe once I shove it straight up his ass. He fucked up. Majorly. Doesn't mean you should throw away a lifetime of loving my dick-centric numbskull of a son. Bust his balls, make him get tested every 90 days for a year, and tell him no pussy without a rubber until further notice. He'll just _love_ that," She said sarcastically. "But whatever you do, _don't_ let him go."

Gemma was sure that if those piercing green orbs were laser beams, she'd be nothing but dust particles by now. Jolene was prepared to tell Gemma to go to hell and how to get there, but pulled herself back. She felt like a hyper-energized ball of suppressed anger and she was about to lash out at the wrong target.

It was Jax she was pissed at, but she had basically forgiven him last night, gave him a free pass, and had fucked him to boot, and all because she was afraid of ending up like her mother if she lost him. She wasn't her mother's daughter, though. She was Clay Morrow's and her stubborn pride wouldn't allow her self-esteem to take shots from the likes of Gigi and her cohorts. The croweaters had it in for her before. Now, they didn't even bother to pretend like they weren't talking about her, practically daring each other to make a move on her old man because Jolene would have no choice but to take it. They were just waiting for that one slut in their group ballsy enough to be the first to drop to their knees for Jax before the rest descended on him like maggots on a carcass.

Those bitches probably thought the eight weeks Jolene had spent as an invalid had made her soft, with the scars on her chest making her insecure enough to look the other way when her old man strayed. If that was the case, then they didn't know Jolene Morrow. A few days into Jax's Reno adventure, Jolene had roped Chibs into training with her like he had when she was a teenager, before her "growth spurt". Not quite at the level he had been training with Jax, but just enough to put strength back into her arms and power behind her kicks. Jax had been on the verge of saying something last night, but she could tell he couldn't put his finger on what was different about her. She had regained most of the weight she'd lost in the hospital in muscle mass, not fat. Her arms, thighs, and even her tummy had more definition. She wasn't quite the hard body she could become if she intensified her workout, but she wasn't soft either. Although Jax had always loved her lush curves, he had apparently enjoyed the new ride as well because she hadn't heard any complaints. Making herself more appealing had not been the intended purpose of the workouts, though. No. Jolene was preparing for battle and when she finally fought back, those croweating whores wouldn't know what hit 'em.

With her anger refocused, Jolene pulled herself back into the present to deal with the current obstacle impeding her way into the diner. "I know you mean well, Gemma, but whether or not I let him go, that's a decision only I can make. And it has to be a choice I can live with. You of all people should understand where I'm coming from."

"Why are you meeting with Pat Doyle?" Gemma asked as if she hadn't heard a word Jolene said.

Jolene shook her head in mild disbelief. After all, Gemma was simply being Gemma. "Well, with Jax pushing me to take the San Diego scholarship, which I had turned down, by the way, I just had to find out what that was all about." Jolene started, feeling a sudden tightness in her chest. "Turns out, Jax had convinced Pat to get me an extension until the Spring. The scholarship is still available to me if I want it. I have to go now, Gem. I don't want to keep my mentor waiting any longer."

"Baby girl, I know you're hurting, but just promise me you won't make any decisions without talking to me first."

Exasperated, Jolene shook her head. "Has everyone forgotten that I am a grown woman? I don't need to call a meeting at the 'table' to make decisions that will ultimately affect only me."

Gemma was shaking her head. "That's where you're wrong, sweetheart. Any decision you make out of anger and hurt is going to end up affecting my son and anything that hurts Jax is definitely up for discussion with me."

Jolene couldn't even begin to comprehend what she was hearing. Her mind was refusing to let it register. "You do realize what Jax was up to in Reno, right? I'm entitled to feel anger and hurt. I'll fucking wallow in it if I want. The fact remains that if Jax ends up getting hurt, it's by his own hand. Unfortunately, I did not have a choice in the matter." Jolene turned to walk away, but Gemma grabbed her arm.

"We're all entitled to feel anger and hurt when our men fuck around on runs, Jolene. You just learn to keep that shit to yourself. As long as what happened on that run, stays on that run and he's come back home to you, you should let that shit go. He's never strayed on you before."

"Maybe—" Jolene started, but Gemma cut her off.

"There's no maybe about it, sweetheart. Jax has been faithful to you since day one. He can't say that about anyone else."

Jolene smirked bitterly. "He should have remembered that before deciding to get his dick wet somewhere else because now he can't say that about us either." She pulled her arm from Gemma's grasp and headed to the entrance of the diner.

"Shit!" Gemma cursed out loud. The same qualities that made Jolene the perfect old lady for her son—smarts, independence, loyalty, backbone—were the same qualities that were going to end up fucking him over. "Jax! You asshole!"

* * *

Instead of hanging around the Clubhouse, Jax came home early, not really knowing what to expect from his old lady. She had sought him out the night before, making passionate, if not borderline aggressive love to him. As always, it had been amazing, especially after two weeks of longing for her lush mouth, her shapely hips and ass, and her beautiful tits, but he'd be damned if he wasn't starting to sound like a chick. He didn't get what he had been longing for the most, which was to sleep with his arms wrapped around her, their legs intertwined, and waking up that way. Instead, Jolene had practically jumped off him when it was over and into the shower, locking the bathroom door, which she had NEVER done before. Pulling on her underwear and one of his Reaper Crew t-shirts, she had jumped back into bed, flipped onto her side, her back facing him, and went to sleep. Jax had lain in bed, chain-smoking, feeling like he'd been run over by a steamroller, and watched her sleep. He knew it, he felt it with each minute that passed during that long, long night, and even if she wasn't aware of it herself, Jax knew that Jolene was pushing him away.

 _That bit of knowledge should brighten up Clay's day_ , Jax thought bitterly. It may be too late to stop what they had set in motion, but that didn't mean Jax wasn't going to try.

The wonderful aroma of roasting meat was wafting from the kitchen as he entered their house and even though Jax knew he shouldn't be surprised, he was. Jolene was in the kitchen making dinner, her usual weeknight routine. She was wearing a tank top, one of the thin straps having fallen off her shoulder, and a sexy pair of hot pants that cradled her ass and made a man think of all the wonderfully nasty things he could do to her. An outfit like that usually meant that dessert would be served in the bedroom and, more than likely, before dinner, which only served to further confuse him as she turned from the stove and greeted him.

"Hey, baby." Jolene smiled and that was it. She turned her attention back to the stove and the pot of potatoes she was boiling. Jax knew that shoving his KA-BAR through his eye would hurt less than that little snub. She didn't run into his arms and pepper his neck with kisses as she groped his ass until he couldn't stand it anymore. Sometimes they never made it out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. One time, they had made it only as far as the hallway before pulling each other onto the floor, where she rode him without mercy as a pot of rice burned on the stove.

Jax fought the desperate need for a beer as he hadn't had any alcohol since his return to Charming, but almost like she had read his mind, Jolene moved over to the fridge and pulled one out. In actuality, it was part of their routine. He'd down a beer at the kitchen table while he watched her cook and they filled each other in on their activities of the day. He hated to admit it, even if just to himself, but aside from his mother, Jolene was the only woman he ever really listened to when she spoke. With most other women, he'd watch their lips move with no sound registering in his brain as it was usually set on one track: getting into their pants.

"Dinner will be another half hour or so. You can go jump in the shower if you want." She smiled as she popped open the bottle of beer and handed it to him. Jax couldn't help but feel like he was being dismissed.

Taking the now unwanted beer from her hand, if only to feel his fingers grazing her palm, Jax couldn't hold it in any longer. "We're not okay, are we?" He asked, his brow furrowed and his jaw tight.

Looking at him in the eyes, Jolene bit her lip as she contemplated an answer. "I want us to be." She replied softly.

"But we're not?" Jax questioned and Jolene shook her head slightly. Jax ran his hand over his face and down the hair on his chin in frustration.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't turn off the noise in my head." Jolene started. "I love you, I know I do, but I'm having trouble wrapping my head around loving someone without trusting that they won't take me for granted again."

"Jo, I swear, I've never done shit like this to you before. I fucked up, I know, and I'm sorry, but darlin', Reno pussy was just pussy." And if he remembered correctly, not very good pussy and so not worth what they were going through.

Jolene chuckled. The fact that he could say something like that with a straight face just drove home the point of the absurdity that her life had become. Jolene chuckled again when she realized that her life had always been this way. This was just the first time she was seeing it from an outsider's perspective.

"Do I get a free pass, Jax?" Jolene asked softly. "Do I get to fuck around on you?" Judging by the look on his face, Jolene guessed the answer was no. Jolene turned to walk away, but Jax dropped the beer bottle on the table, not caring that it had tipped over and spilled, and grabbed her roughly, pulling her into his arms.

Jolene's eyes were wide as Jax held her face in one hand, the other arm wrapped possessively around her waist, as he forced her to look him in the eyes. "You're mine. You understand that?" He nearly growled and, hearing the crazy in his own voice, Jax pulled it back a notch and let go of her face. "If I could take it all back, starting with the incident at the Hairy Dog with Whistler, I would. I would have taken those bullets for you in a heartbeat, darlin'. You have to believe that I would do anything to keep myself from fucking up by going to Reno, but you can't leave me, Jo. I love you too damn much, in that crazy, all-consuming 'I'm gonna eat my fuckin' gun if she leaves me' kind of way that scares the shit out of me. Reno was just a bad idea turned into a living nightmare. Didn't matter what I was doing or who I was doing it with, all I ever saw was you. There wasn't enough alcohol in the State of Nevada to dull the pain of the damage I knew I was causing, but I couldn't stop myself because I was convinced I was doing the right thing. After I sobered up, the thought that I ran the very real chance of losing you hit me like a kick in the nuts and I _know_ that I won't be able to handle that shit, darlin'."

Jolene shook her head. "Reno's only part of it, Jax." She barely managed to pull herself out of his embrace. Jax had always been an intense lover, but this level of intensity was bordering on something dangerous. "I had lunch with Patrick Doyle today." She started against her better judgment. She could already see the realization of where she was going darken his eyes. "You were planning on getting rid of me even before I left the hospital."

Jax was shaking his head, his jaw clenched tight. "Babe, when you put it like that it makes me sound like an asshole, but I just wanted you to be safe."

"So sending me away to a strange city, with no family— _that_ was your big plan on keeping me safe? It wasn't your decision to make, goddamn it, which you proved by fucking it all up!" Jolene was incredulous. "When you brought it up before Vegas, I told you I wasn't going. I told you I was gonna wait for you. Why didn't you listen to me? Why didn't you listen to what your heart was telling you? Why didn't you just come home?"

"I was scared." Jax started. "It was my responsibility to protect you and, because I failed, I almost lost you, Jolene. Three times you almost died and each time I braced myself for the grief I knew would take over my whole fuckin' life. When you finally woke up, I knew that was something I could never go through again without losing my mind. I wasn't thinking straight when I spoke to Pat Doyle. All I could think of was that you didn't deserve someone like me, someone that could get you killed."

Jolene was looking into his eyes and could see the pain he was feeling. "You let my dad get into your head, didn't you?" She asked softly.

Jax looked at her for a long time before speaking. "Even after four years, Clay could barely tolerate us together, Jo. He blamed me for what happened and he said I was being selfish by not letting you go to San Diego. Deep down I knew he was right, but I love you. I needed you and wanted you so bad that I wasn't thinking when I let you stay."

"You didn't _let_ me do shit, Jax. I chose to stay." Jolene corrected. "Baby, you were contemplating joining the Nomad charter just so I could go to school in San Diego. You were willing to do anything to make that happen for me." She reminded him. " _I_ never blamed you for what happened, but instead of talking to me about what you were going through, you listened to my father and let him get you all twisted. I didn't deserve _that_. What I deserved was an old man that would've fought for me."

"Fight? I would fuckin' kill for you, Jo." Jax insisted, reminding Jolene that he had already killed for her. Twice, and he wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Jax closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. _Jesus Christ_ , he thought, _t_ _he thoughts running through my mind are fucking scaring the shit out of me_. He loved Jolene. He had known that from almost the beginning, but the thought of losing her was making him wonder to what extent he would go to keep her from leaving.

Seeing the hurt and self-loathing envelope Jax again stabbed Jolene in the heart. She loved him so much and she hated to see him in pain, but she was hurting too. In order to stay she needed to know that he would never hurt her like that again, but seeing him struggle to keep from breaking down, Jolene's resolve softened. Approaching him, Jolene cradled his face in her hands. He looked at her, his eyes already bloodshot even though he had won the battle to keep himself from shedding a tear.

"I wanna make this work, baby. I really do." Jolene said earnestly as she ran her hand over his hair.

Jax shook his head slightly. "Then give me a second chance and we will. Just don't leave me."

* * *

Tig was the first to realize that there was something wrong with this picture. As the rest of his brothers focused their attention on such attributes as the tits and ass attached to a long pair of legs wrapped in skin tight denim, the first thing Tig noticed was the face. While Chibs, Bobby, and Opie debated who the highlighted blonde with the brown suede fringe purse hanging from her shoulder was here to see, Tig knew exactly who the bitch was. He should. He had watched Doll Face beat the will to live out of her over and over on the video he had taken at the Devil's Tribe Clubhouse over three years ago. When Jax had deleted the video from his phone, he had no clue that Tig had already had Juice burn it onto a disk just in case. Tig was willing to bet his bike that the bitch currently paying the cabbie after he unloaded her suitcase was here to see a certain blond biker. Frantically patting his cut, Tig found his phone, not to give anyone a heads up, but to make sure he had enough memory for another video.

"Happy sure picked a fucked up time to go visit his mom in Bakersfield." Tig said out loud.

"Why would you say that?" Opie flicked his cigarette butt across the parking lot, quickly losing interest in their new arrival. She had been swarmed by a gaggle of hang-arounds who greeted her as if she were the second coming. She was obviously just another croweater.

"Happy's a little in awe of Doll Face. Has been ever since she beat down that bitch over there." Tig motioned towards SAMCRO's new arrival. "He's gonna be pissed he missed out on the re-match."

"What the hell are you talkin' about?" Bobby pulled his glasses from the shirt pocket underneath his cut in order to get a better look.

"Aw, shyte! Tell me that's not the croweater 'lil luvvie nearly scalped at the Tribe's Clubhouse." Chibs moaned. _Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!_ There was no way he wasn't going to be held responsible if Jackie Boy's old lady ended up killing the poor, unsuspecting bitch with her bare hands.

"Yes she is!" Tig laughed. "Hair extensions were flying like fur. It was beautiful!"

"Fuck!" Opie cursed as he whipped out his pre-pay and pressed the speed dial for Jax's number.

If he remembered correctly, the bottle blonde now making her way towards the Clubhouse, trailed by Gigi and a couple of other croweaters, lived in Reno. According to what Zeus had told him about Jax's stay at the Reno Clubhouse, he had spent a significant amount of time with a hang-around who worked at one of the MC's stripclubs named Wendy Case. Road pussy showing up at the SAMCRO Clubhouse in search of a patch with an old lady? Shit, Jax was so beyond screwed.

"Hi." Wendy smiled pleasantly as she stopped in front of the group of bikers congregating at the picnic table. "Is Jax Teller around?"

"Who wants to know?" Bobby asked defensively. If the reason for this trick being here in Charming was Jax, he and his VP were going to have a serious talk.

"I'm a good friend of his, from Reno."

"Jax doesn't have a need for female friends. He's got an old lady, so why don't you just hail another cab and get the fuck off the lot." Opie said, the look on his face not very inviting as he slammed his pre-pay shut. Jax wasn't answering his phone.

Wendy raised a plucked-to-a-perfect-arch eyebrow. "That's not what he told me when he asked me to come for a visit."

"There was obviously a miscommunication, luv. Jax is all about his old lady—" Chibs started, but stopped as Gigi snickered loudly. "What's so funny? You got something you wanna get off your chest?"

Sobering up slightly, Gigi threw her shoulders back. "That may have been the case before, but we all know they've been on the skids ever since she came out of the hospital a stitched-together, scarred-up mess." She mocked, causing the other croweaters hanging on the periphery to cackle. Gigi jumped back several steps, barely making it out of Bobby's reach as he lunged for her. Holding Bobby back, Chibs debated either backhanding the taste out of the croweater's mouth himself or just letting 'lil luvvie's Uncle Elvis tear her to shreds. Either way, the bitch would be getting off easier than if Jolene got a hold of her.

"Listen," Wendy started. "A lot happened between Jax and me these past couple of weeks in Reno which leads me to believe that if he invited me here, it's because he wants me here. I don't know what's going on between Jax and his old lady, but the only way I'm leaving is if Jax tells me to go himself."

"I'm sure I can make that happen for you, sweetheart." Opie said bitterly as he flipped his phone open again and tried calling Jax one more time.

Opie knew how distraught his friend had been while in Reno. Jax may have had enough alcohol and weed in his system to kill a horse, but each time he spoke with him over the phone, Opie knew he was devastated by the fact that his little getaway to Reno could cost him his old lady. Jax had returned to Charming determined to make things work out with Jolene. There was no fucking way he would ever invite road pussy into what was basically the only home Jolene had ever known. Opie had to believe that, or he would end up beating the living shit out of Jax himself.

* * *

Waking up with his old lady in his arms should have been a sign that maybe staying in bed all day and keeping Jolene with him and all to himself was the way to go today. After their bumpy ride since his return from Reno, last night had been the first time that Jax could finally see an end to this living nightmare. Their intense conversation in the kitchen had led to his near-breakdown, which in turn led to Jax begging the woman he loved to give him a second chance. He had no shame. He loved her like he has never loved anyone in his life and he couldn't see his life without her in it. Jolene was an amazing woman. Yeah, he was proving to himself what a selfish asshole he really was by feeling this way, but the weight of the reality that she would move on and no doubt find some lucky bastard to take his place was just too much for him bear.

They had enjoyed each other's company during dinner, talking about all he'd missed while he was gone, and Jax had even managed to make her laugh. The sound was music to his ears and when he had reached across the table and grabbed her hand, instead of pulling away, Jolene squeezed his hand back. That's when he had looked into her eyes and noticed a tiny hint of a spark, which gave him hope that all wasn't lost between them. That soon she'd be able to look at him again with the pure, unfiltered adoration that he had taken for granted would always be there until it wasn't.

Unable to make himself leave Jolene's side, Jax had helped clean up after dinner by washing dishes, which inspired some good-natured teasing on her part with Jolene taking a picture on her pre-pay and threatening to text it over to Tig. Winning the wrestling match over the phone, Jax shoved it into the pocket of his jeans. Diving in right after it, what Jolene grabbed wasn't what she had expected. When it came to his old lady, Jax was like a thirteen year old boy, unable to control when, where, and why he would suddenly spring wood. The fact that she had rubbed her ass on his crotch while squirming to keep the camera phone out of his reach only added fuel to his fire that was always burning for her. Recovering quickly from her surprise, Jolene grabbed the phone out of his pocket and made a mad dash toward the bedroom as Jax barreled down the hallway hot on her trail.

What had followed could only be classified as incredibly loving make up sex, with Jax finally getting what he wanted from his old lady, which was the promise of forgiveness and to wake up with her burrowed into his chest and their arms wrapped around each other. Now, as he pulled into the T-M lot, Jax felt the bottom fall out of his world as he realized he may never get to hold his old lady like that ever again.

Not even bothering to park, Jax pulled up in front of the Clubhouse and jumped off his bike. Before he could take a breath to calm himself, Wendy ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck. Puckering her glossy lips, Jax roughly pushed her from him before she could pull him in for a kiss. Nearly toppling over on her 4-inch platforms, Wendy looked at a fuming Jax with wide eyes.

"Hey, baby," She started, her voice trembling with the threat of tears. "I thought you would be happy to see me." Wendy tried smiling as she approached him again. Even though he was embarrassing her in front of her friends, Wendy had grown accustomed to Jax's surliness during the two weeks they had spent together. In spite of his mood swings, he had never hit her and had treated her with a certain amount of respect that she had never experienced with any other biker.

That gentlemanly biker, however, was nowhere to be seen at this moment as he ripped the helmet off his head and threw it on the ground. Jax raised a gloved hand and pointed a finger at Wendy. "Don't call me 'baby'." He nearly growled, prompting Wendy to take a step back. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I got your message." Wendy stated simply.

Jax's nostrils flared. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I was working when you called the Clubhouse last night," Wendy explained, recalling that the Jax she knew was prone to alcoholic blackouts and probably didn't remember calling for her. "So you left a message with one of the girls that you wanted me to come see you since you didn't know when you'd be able to make it back to Reno."

Jax chuckled to himself bitterly. Last night he had been buried so deep in his old lady that, for the first time since his return, the last thing on his mind was the slag croweater standing before him and how he nearly fucked up the life he had with Jolene. Looking past Wendy, Jax was taken aback by the withering, pissed off looks on his brothers' faces.

 _Can I blame 'em?_ Jax asked himself as his eyes fell on a red suitcase on wheels with a handle.

"You need to grab your shit and get the fuck out of Charming like five minutes ago, you understand what I'm saying?" Jax said, leaving no room for argument. Wendy just stared back at him blankly. "Grab your shit and GO!"

Squaring her shoulders and preparing herself for the physical repercussions that came from disobeying an angry biker, Wendy shook her head. "I don't want to." She cringed as Jax took a step forward and got into her face.

"I wasn't asking." He snarled. "How did you get here?"

Wendy swallowed hard. "I took a Greyhound into Stockton and then a cab into Charming."

"You're gonna do it again, only in reverse and as a one-way trip because if I see you in Charming again—" Jax stopped himself as he clenched his fist at his side. He had never laid a hand on a woman in anger, but if this croweater's sudden presence in Charming caused his girl any further hurt, he wasn't sure what he was capable of.

Opie approached his friend. "Shit, bro, it might be too late." He nodded his head towards the entrance into the parking lot as Gemma, with Jolene in the passenger seat, pulled in.

"Holy fuck!" Bobby jumped forward, grabbing the suitcase and shoving it into Gigi's arms. There was no way in hell he was going to let Kit be blindsided by this bullshit. Pulling a surprised Wendy by the arm, he practically dragged her and Gigi into the Clubhouse.

Jax pulled off his gloves, stuffing them into the pocket of his cut. Taking a deep breath to recover his composure, he threw on his Reaper Crew cap as he watched his old lady step out of his mother's car and saunter up to him, hips swaying.

"Hey, baby." She wrapped her arms around his neck as she pressed a kiss against his lips. Jax closed his eyes and ardently kissed her back. He snaked his arms around her slim waist and pulled her against him, hugging her within an inch of her life. "Miss me?" Jolene smiled as she pulled back a bit.

"Always." Jax searched her face. God, he loved this woman and with that reaffirmation of his feelings for Jolene, Jax knew exactly what he was capable of if finding that Reno croweater in Charming caused her any pain.

 _I will fucking kill the bitch_.

"Hurry up, Jolene!" Gemma admonished from the driver's seat. "We still have to pick up Luann. Just get what you came for from your old man and let's go!"

Jolene threw Jax an impish smile. "We're doing retail therapy and I need dough, baby." She batted impossibly long eyelashes at him. "I'm running low on sexy underwear."

Jax nodded with a half-grin as he reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. "You're better off buying the edible kind, darlin'."

"I'll keep that in mind." Jolene smiled as Jax handed her what amounted to about half of the cash in his hand. Quickly counting the bills, Jolene raised an eyebrow. "Baby, this is a whole lotta money. You sure—" She stopped abruptly at the sight of a half-crazed, wild-eyed woman running out of the Clubhouse with Bobby in hot pursuit.

"NO! Get the fuck off me!" The woman was screaming at the top of her lungs, making Jolene wonder what the hell Uncle Elvis was up to in the Clubhouse. "I wanna talk to his old lady! Let her know what the real deal is!"

Jolene looked from the crazy woman to Jax. The murderous glint in his eyes was all the confirmation she needed. Feeling her heart jump up and into her throat, Jolene's chest was heaving as she tried to suck air into her lungs.

"You son of a bitch." Jolene ground out through clenched teeth.

"Jo," Jax started, reaching for her, but she pulled out of his grasp, throwing the cash he had given her at his face.

"Don't touch me." Jolene glared at him. Turning back to the Clubhouse in time to see Bobby try and drag the woman back inside, it hit Jolene like a bolt of lightning. She remembered the slut from Indian Hills. "Bobby, let her go!" She stomped toward the Clubhouse, only to be stopped by Jax grabbing onto her arm. Twirling around, her hand a balled-up fist, Jolene threw a punch that landed on the left side of Jax's face. Stunned by the pain radiating from his cheek up to his temple, Jax let her go as he fell back a couple of steps. _Shit!_ He certainly wasn't expecting to be hit with such force by such a tiny fist.

"What the fuck is going on?" Gemma ran up to Opie and Jax, shocked. "Jolene, have you lost your mind?"

"Not yet." Jolene practically snarled as she turned and headed towards Wendy. Breaking free from Bobby's hold, Wendy stood up straight as Jolene practically got into her face. "You have something you wanna tell me?"

"Kit, you should really bring this inside." Bobby chastised as a crowd of mechanics, hang-arounds, and Club members started gathering. _Thank God Clay's meeting with Unser_ , Bobby thought.

"With all due respect, Bobby, this doesn't concern you. This is old lady business." Jolene stated, still up in Wendy's face. "I'm waiting."

Wendy crossed her arms over her chest. "You want the CliffsNotes version or do you want every little dirty detail?"

"I want to know what your skank ass is doing here in Charming." Jolene stated with her hands on her waist.

Wendy smirked. "Let's just say that what happened on this run was invited back home, sweetheart. Jax and I had a really good time in Reno. We barely managed to make it out of bed everyday. I guess he finally realized what he was missing out on by hooking up with a little girl instead of a real woman. Besides," She smiled smugly as she indicated the scar barely visible through the V-neck of Jolene's shirt. "It seems that scarred-up up pussy doesn't cut it as old lady material anymore."

Gemma was incredulous. "Jax, do something! She's humiliating your old lady, asshole!"

Before Jax could step in, Wendy made a move to touch Jolene's scar. "May I?" She asked mockingly. With barely a raised eyebrow, Jolene watched as Wendy reached for her and, before Wendy knew what was happening, Jolene grabbed her arm and painfully twisted it behind her back. As Jax, Opie, and Chibs jumped in to separate the two women, Wendy gasped and whimpered, her arm dangerously close to snapping.

"Let go, Jo." Jax said up against Jolene's ear as he tried to pry her off. Delicate and girly she may be, and even though he was unaware of her recent training sessions with Chibs, Jax could attest to the kind of damage Jolene was capable of, with or without a steel bat.

Jolene let go of Wendy's arm just long enough to push Jax off of her and was caught off guard as Wendy swung her elbow, barely catching her on the nose. Bringing her hands up to her face and seeing them covered in her own blood, Jolene lost it. Chibs saw it coming even before she raised a hand. The predatory gleam in her bright eyes was quickly followed by a one-two combination that caught Wendy right in the mouth, causing her to tumble off her platforms and onto her ass.

Jolene relished the shocked, wounded look on Wendy's face as, struggling to get back onto her feet, she spit up blood and a tooth. Seeing Chibs about to swoop in to stop her, Jolene went to throw one more punch at Wendy, but felt herself being pulled back as someone yanked her hair from behind. With Tig filming the whole thing from atop the picnic table, suddenly, Gemma, Jax, Opie, Chibs, and Bobby were caught up in the mini-melee of croweaters as they descended on Jolene, who continued throwing and connecting punches. Grabbing Jolene by the waist, Chibs pulled her off a screaming Gigi as Jolene held her by a fistful of red hair with one hand and repeatedly punched her in the face with the other.

"Holy shyte, luvvie!" He exclaimed as he caught a glimpse of Jolene's face, bloody and matted with raven hair stuck to her cheeks. She looked like a bloodthirsty Highland warrior. "Where the fuck did that come from?"

Jolene was struggling against Chibs' hold, kicking her legs and coming dangerously close to catching him in the nuts. "The student has surpassed the teacher." She said cheekily and slightly out of breath as she tried to push away the arm wrapped around her waist in a vise-like grip. "I'm fine, really. You can let me go."

"Oh my 'lil battle cat, you're gonna have to forgive me if I don't believe ya for a bleedin' moment." Chibs said as he practically carried Jolene inside the Clubhouse and away from the spectacle that had formed in the parking lot.

"Jesus Christ!" Piney exclaimed from his perch at the bar, as Bobby motioned to Juice for some hand towels. "What happened?"

Jax stormed into the Clubhouse, his hands flying to his head as he caught sight of Jolene's face. "Holy shit!" He reached for her, but she angrily swatted his hand away.

"Don't touch me." She ground out as Chibs finally set her down on her feet. Jax took a step back, the look of utter contempt in her beautiful eyes tearing a hole through his heart.

Taking a towel from Bobby, Chibs started to wipe the blood away so that he could assess the damage. "I'll tell ya wha' happened, Piney." He started angrily, looking directly at Jax. "One of Jackie Boy's Reno indiscretions thought it would be a good idea to come all the way to Charming and talk shyte."

Jolene was shaking her head, pleading with her eyes for him to stop talking. "I'm fine, Chibs." She went to grab the towel from him, but he pulled his hand back.

"Put your stubborn Morrow pride aside, luvvie and let me take care of you." He glared at Jax as he continued wiping her bloody nose. "Somebody has to."

"Is it broken?" Bobby asked, peering over Chibs' shoulder.

"No, those bitches fight like girls, all flailing arms and shit." Jolene insisted.

"There was more than one?" Piney was incredulous.

"It was an ambush, that's what it was." Chibs replied viciously as he continued wiping down her face.

"Chibs, really, I'm fine. The Reno Whore barely touched my nose with her elbow. It's the blood thinners I'm on. They make paper cuts bleed like stab wounds."

Bobby winced as he grabbed her bloody right hand and dabbed her knuckles with a towel. "Holy shit! Is that a tooth?"

"Ouch!" Jolene pulled her hand back as Bobby yanked the eyetooth imbedded in her skin. "It's not mine, that's for sure. The other one's somewhere on the pavement outside. Should make for sucking dick a lot easier now." She spit out, glaring at Jax.

Shaking his head sadly, Jax started, "I'm so sorry, darlin'."

"Don't call me that! And stop apologizing, for fuck's sake!" Jolene could barely bring herself to look at him. "Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you went to Reno for? To humiliate me in front of everybody enough to make me want to leave?"

"Kit, you need to calm down, sweetheart." Bobby soothed, his heart breaking for her and for Jax.

Jolene was shaking her head. "I only came down here 'cause Gemma wanted to go to a fuckin' designer sample sale. The vultures have been circling me for weeks now. I should have known better, but those bitches caught me off guard. I was unprepared."

"Luvvie, if this is you unprepared, I'd hate to see what you would have done to those tramps otherwise." Chibs tried to smile.

"Had I known what to expect, I probably would have killed the Reno Whore." Jolene replied and Jax knew she meant it. "It's still a possibility."

"Your dad's due back any minute, Kit. It's a bad idea letting him see you like this." Bobby advised.

"I'll take you home before Clay gets back." Jax offered.

"The hell you say! I'm not going anywhere, with or without you." Jolene declared. "I'm not running. Let 'em keep coming at me 'cause I'm sure she's probably not the only one you've fucked, Jax. I can handle my shit."

"She stop bleeding?" Jax asked impatiently.

"Yep. She's a fighter, this one." Chibs replied.

Jax grabbed her hand and pulled her into the Chapel, closing the door behind them.

* * *

Gemma, Opie, and Tig entered the Clubhouse just in time to hear Jolene ripping into Jax in the Chapel. Gemma stood in the center of the Main Room and glared at each and every man surrounding her.

"I recognize that look on your face, Gemma." Bobby started. "This wasn't our fault."

"No, of course not." Gemma replied sarcastically, her chest heaving and her hands on her hips. "It never is. All these whores hanging around the Clubhouse, all of them just waiting for their turn with a patch, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened."

"That's not exactly true, Gem." Tig started. "That dumb bitch out there followed Jax back here from Reno."

Gemma's eyes were about to pop out of her head. "Even worse! Whatever happened to 'what happens on a run, stays on a run' or 'you don't shit where you eat', huh? You all saw what happened out there. Each and every one of those whores took a swing at Jolene, like she was one of them. That's what happens when a patch treats his old lady with no respect, all the cum-guzzling croweaters follow his lead. I hope she's ripping his dick off and shoving it down his goddamned throat!" She nearly screamed while jabbing her finger towards the Chapel.

"What would you have us do, Gemma?" Piney asked. "Croweaters have been a part of this Club since the beginning."

Gemma shook her head. "I'm not asking you to do anything, but I can guarantee you'll be saying good-bye to each and every whore that attacked Jolene out there today once her father finds out what happened."

"Most of them took off, including the road pussy." Opie advised. "But something tells me she's not gonna stay away."

"Oh, she will if she knows what's good for her," Gemma crossed her arms over her chest. "Because when our men let us down, we old ladies stick together."

* * *

Jolene had gone from yelling and screaming to punching and slapping, finally collapsing into Jax's arms, and all he could do was hold her while she wept. He was afraid to open his mouth because he knew the moment he did, it would be all over. She would push him away and he'd never get the chance to hold her again.

As she gripped the front of his cut with one hand, Jolene closed her eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling his fresh, clean scent from the recently washed flannel he wore mixed with leather. She loved Jackson Teller. She always had and, deep down, she knew she always would. But Jolene wasn't about to let history repeat itself. She wasn't her mother. She couldn't let her world revolve around a man that had taken her for granted in such a humiliating way, only to be cast aside when she least expected it. Jolene needed to think about her future and she had to accept that her future did not include the man she loved.

Jax barely let her go as she pushed herself away from him. He was looking at her with a pinched, hurt look on his face, his jaw clenched as he braced himself for what he knew was coming. He had lost her and no amount of begging or promises to never hurt her again were going to change that fact. Jax closed his eyes and shook his head when he saw her pull her engagement ring off her finger.

"Here," She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jax opened his eyes and instantly felt the tears that had been threatening to fall since last night run down his cheeks. "No." He shook his head, but Jolene grabbed his hand and slammed the ring into it.

"Take it. I don't need it." She said, her beautiful face set in stone as her eyes leaked tears effortlessly. "I'm taking the San Diego scholarship. You were right. It's the only way we'll be able to move on with our lives."

Jax looked down at the ring in his hand and felt his heart shatter in his chest. He had so many things he wanted to say to her, but he knew there was nothing he could say to change her mind, so he said the only thing he could.

"I love you."

Jolene angrily wiped away her tears, leaving blood-stained streaks on her face from the blood still on her hands. Swallowing her pride for the last time, Jolene looked up at Jax and said, "I love you more" before stepping around him, walking out of the Chapel and out of his life.

* * *

**Epilogue**

It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when Clay rode into the T-M lot with Tig trailing right behind him. His meeting with LaRoy in Oakland had gone pretty much as he had expected—shitty—and he was in a foul mood, with the chances of it improving slim to none. In the month since Jolene had left Charming, foul seemed to be the only mood Clay was ever in and it didn't surprise Tig one bit that his meeting with the Niners had gone down hill fast until it crashed and burned.

The MC's recent dance with the ATF still had McKeavey a little apprehensive about shipping directly into Oakland. Without consulting Clay, the Real IRA had once again diverted the Niners' current order to Vancouver, thereby tagging on an additional week to the expected delivery date. Clay had tried explaining to the Niners' leader that the situation was out of his control, but LaRoy considered such things as the ATF camped out in Charming a SAMCRO housekeeping issue that was none of his concern. He had placed the order with the expectation that he would get his merch by a specified date and he didn't give a shit what Clay had to do to make sure that happened. The Mayans had eased off the Sons since the shooting that had pulled the pin on the bomb that was Jolene leaving Charming, but were now causing trouble for the Niners' H business in Oak-Town. Clay had retorted that tension between the Niners and the Mayans sounded like a black and brown housekeeping issue that was none of his concern, but that as soon as his troubles with the ATF were resolved, he would gladly do business with the last color standing.

Needless to say, LaRoy did not take too kindly to Clay's laisser-faire attitude considering SAMCRO's long-standing agreement with the Niners not to do business with the wetbacks. The threat to make the Niners' presence known in Charming, although indirect, was real and Tig was starting to wonder if an all-out war wasn't what Clay had been hoping for. At the very least, it would take his mind off his daughter leaving.

Tig would normally bring such concerns directly to Clay, but Clay had cut him down at the knees, refusing to discuss his train of thought when dealing with the Niners. Tig's next choice would have been his VP, but there was no way in hell he was going any where near Jax unless it was absolutely necessary. The guy had been one miserable prick since his old lady had skipped town and Tig wasn't about to put himself in the line of fire between Clay and Jax. The shit had really hit the fan between father and stepson when, less than a week after the Reno Whore had made her presence known in her life, Jolene had packed up her Mustang and headed off to school in San Diego. Jax had been under the impression that Jolene had until the Spring to make her move and was further gutted when he discovered that Patrick Doyle had been able to fast track Jolene's entrance into the Master's Degree program. Jolene needed to be in San Diego and settled in time for student orientation the following week, with classes to start the day after Labor Day. She was gone practically before most of the croweaters that had attacked her were run out of town on a rail by her father. Although Tig lamented the dearth of good pussy at the Clubhouse, even he was glad to see those bitches gone. Ten of them whores stitched together ass to mouth would never amount to the class act that was Doll Face. Jax was a fucking idiot for letting her go.

As Clay backed into his usual spot in the long line of Harleys parked outside the Clubhouse, he watched Gemma shadowing Jax as he prepped his bike for the second of his planned bi-weekly "surveillance" runs to San Diego. Clay had been beyond pissed when Jax had taken off on his first road trip to San Diego without consulting him. He had been convinced that Jax's intentions had been purely selfish and that he was going to try to get Jolene to come back to Charming. Jax admitted as much when Clay had confronted him, but swore that he had changed his mind after spending nearly an entire day trailing her. He had come to the painful conclusion that San Diego was where Jolene belonged. She seemed happy and in her element at the University, more so, Jax hated to admit, than she ever did in Charming. Although he loved her and missed her terribly, his trips to San Diego were only to see for himself that she was safe and doing well without her SAMCRO family. Eventually, Jax promised Clay, as well as himself, that he'd stop going. Even though Clay went out of his way to make his displeasure known, deep down he was glad that Jax was still looking out for his little girl, especially since Jolene hadn't bothered to call anyone since settling down in SoCal.

"I should be back tomorrow night, early Wednesday at the latest." Jax was saying to his mother as Clay walked past them and into the Clubhouse without acknowledging Jax.

"You be careful out there, Jax." Gemma admonished as she smoothed down the front of Jax's cut, one eye on Clay's retreating back. She wondered how long these two could keep ignoring each other until somebody blew up. "I'd feel better if Opie were riding with you."

"I'll be fine, Ma." Jax assured her, even though he knew his recently acquired habit of waking up drunk and staying that way all day was starting to take a toll on him. Jax couldn't understand how Piney had managed to survive this long under the same regimen for the past 40 years. Jax was sober now and planned on staying that way during his trip to San Diego, but he couldn't make that promise once he set foot back inside Charming. The past 34 days had been hell on his liver and Jax was convinced that if the road didn't do him in, cirrhosis would, and, if he continued at this level, probably before his 27th birthday.

Gemma ran her hands over her son's hair, tucking it behind his ears before he threw on his helmet. Although she still had the desire itching in her fingers to box his ears, he was breaking her heart into smaller and smaller pieces with each day that went by. Aside from today, the only time Gemma had seen him cognizant and truly functioning this past month had been right before his first trip to check up on his old lady. She could see it in his eyes, the hollow emptiness of a man that had lost much. She had seen it before in his own father's eyes right after Thomas had died, chased away only by the peace he had found in his own death.

Before she could stop herself, Gemma clasped her hands together. "I need you to come back to me, Jackson. I need you back safe and whole. I couldn't take losing another one of my boys."

Jax looked his mother straight in the eyes, his jaw clenched tight, before nodding.

"Promise?"

"Promise." He almost managed a smile before his mother pulled him into her arms. Closing his eyes for a moment, Jax hugged her back. "I'll be fine, Mom, I promise." He nearly whispered as he pulled away and Gemma smiled, slightly comforted by the sincerity she saw in his bloodshot baby blue eyes.

Bobby was watching silently from the Clubhouse door as Jax climbed onto his bike and ripped out of the parking lot. Bobby slowly approached Gemma and, with a sad smile, she wrapped one arm over his shoulder as they watched the early Fall sky darken into hues of gold and blue.

"Those two kids don't belong in this world if not together, Gemma." He said, shaking his head sadly.

Gemma swallowed hard as she nodded. "I know."

"It's not gonna end well." Bobby said, prophetically.

"I know that, too."

* * *

College Area was an aptly named neighborhood in the mid-city region of San Diego dominated by San Diego State University. Far from a sleepy college town, College Area was a bustling Mecca, a mix of the old and the new with its Spanish Colonial Revival homes and trendy stores and restaurants. The weather was usually mild in this part of Southern California, but even for early October, it was unseasonably cool. Without his cut, Jax was dressed in a plain dark navy V-neck tee layered over a white long-sleeved shirt and dark wash jeans.

It was 7:30 on a Tuesday morning and College Area was already bustling with life. Pretty soon, he'd have to move the cargo van he'd rented from The Home Depot in order to make way for the street sweepers that were poised to make their way up the block. Not wanting to call attention to himself by being the only vehicle parked on the street about to be cleaned, Jax put the van in drive and quickly parked it on a side street.

As he was about to turn the corner on Jolene's block, Jax saw her standing outside her building. She was dressed casually in low-rise, slim-fit khaki green cargo pants, black leather strap Converse boots, and a fitted tank underneath a short cropped burgundy leather jacket. With a heavy-looking messenger bag slung across her body, she adjusted her ear buds and dropped her iPod into the inside pocket of her jacket. Turning in the opposite direction, her loose, thick hair billowing behind her, she started walking down the block. Waiting until she was about to cross the street, Jax turned the corner and fell into step behind her.

He was currently working with no plan whatsoever. His initial intention when he decided to come to San Diego was to just make sure she was doing okay without making contact. Now, as he discreetly watched her in motion, hips swaying, the no-making-contact rule made absolutely no sense. Shit! He felt like a fucking stalker. He laughed bitterly to himself as he realized, _hey, asshole, you are stalking her_.

The vibrating in her pocket caused Jolene to stop abruptly. Jax, now realizing he had been following too close, stopped as well, but had no place to duck into. If she turned around, he was fucked. Jolene yanked an ear bud out as she brought her cell phone up to her ear and continued walking.

"Hey, I'm on my way. . . I know I'm late. I had a rough morning . . . Nah, it must have been something I ate. I'm okay, but it's my turn to get the coffee, so I'm gonna be even later . . . I know, but I have to stop at the ATM first . . . No, you paid the last time . . . You're there now? You are such an ass. Why didn't you call me and tell me you were gonna wait for me at Starbuck's? . . . I'm like ten minutes away . . . Okay, I won't stop at the ATM. There's no sense in both of us getting into trouble . . . She is not afraid of me . . . I most definitely could kick her ass, but I wouldn't . . . Don't call me that . . . I don't give a shit about the tattoo, don't call me a biker chick . . . Because I don't like it . . . Keep it up and I'm gonna have to kick your ass instead . . . Yeah, that's what I thought. Apology accepted. Just drop it, okay, and forget I ever told you . . . Yeah, yeah, I love you too, asshole . . . Oh my God, you are such a fuckin' nag! I can't take my car . . . Because it's either gas money or coffee for the faculty meeting and if I walk in there without coffee, I'm gonna walk out in handcuffs, I just know it . . . Because she's a bitter old woman who probably hasn't gotten laid since the year of the flood . . . Well, the sooner you stop nagging, the sooner I will get there . . . Okay, see you soon." Jolene ended the call and stuffed the phone back into her pocket. "Jesus Christ!" She muttered as she popped her ear bud back in.

Jax's heart had immediately started bouncing around his chest at the sound of her voice. God, he missed her. This was the closest he had allowed himself to get since she left the Clubhouse after returning her ring. By the time he could bring himself to go home that day, Jolene had packed a bag and had gone to stay with Opie and Donna. He had expected that. What he hadn't been prepared for was when, three days later, she showed up at the Clubhouse to say good-bye. Everyone had been taken by surprise and no one could think of anything to say to make her change her mind. Jax, on the other hand, had a million things to say, but she never approached him. It was a good thing, too because by then he had already started his steady diet of Jack Daniels and wasn't quite sober and just a tad bit on the belligerent side. It could have gotten real ugly, real fast.

Uncivilized he may be, but Jax couldn't see himself waiting in a line that was almost out the door for the privilege of drinking an overpriced cup of coffee. He was starting to think that Jolene had slipped out the back door when, from across the street, he saw her exit the Starbuck's. And she wasn't alone.

Jax watched through narrowed eyes as Jolene looped her arm through her male companion's as each balanced a carrier of hot coffee. Although not much taller than Jolene, probably about 5'8" or 5'9", her friend appeared to be close to her in age and handsome, with a swimmer's physique. His hair, almost identical in color to Jolene's, was closely cropped with enough length for it to be fashionably spiky and he had a soul patch decorating his chin directly underneath his lower lip. He was wearing a pair of black skinny slacks, a white shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up his muscled arms, and a fitted vest. The way he leaned towards Jolene and spoke directly into her ear, eliciting a peal of laughter out of her, guaranteed that whoever he was, Jax didn't like him already. A little over a month and his pussycat had already found herself a new ball of string to play with. The thought infuriated Jax, because whether she cared to admit it or not, she would always belong to him.

Crossing the street, Jax fought the urge to follow too close, but he'd be damned if he wasn't dying to hear what they were talking about. And if he could hear, Jax would be very surprised to discover that he was the topic of conversation.

"Don't look now, but I think you have a blond hottie following you." Danny warned, with a cheeky grin.

"I know. He's been following me since I left my place." Jolene replied, having seen Jax out of the corner of her eye as he stopped abruptly when he had spotted her standing outside her building. In her short time away from Charming, Jolene was still operating with an MC mentality and couldn't shake the instinct to be completely aware of her surroundings at all times. That, coupled with the fact she had Gemma's gift for seeing what was there, what wasn't there, and what was pretending not to be there, Jax didn't stand a chance.

"Are you shitting me?" Danny made a move to turn around, but Jolene stopped him, which did not go unnoticed by Jax.

 _Shit_ , Jax cursed to himself. _She knows_.

In spite of the promises he had made to himself, and to Clay, Jax had to admit that he had been particularly sloppy in tailing her and maybe that was because he wanted her to know he was there. Realizing just how really stupid that was, Jax backtracked and stepped to the side of a newspaper stand.

"Maybe we should call the cops." Danny suggested, already reaching for his cell phone.

"No," Jolene stopped walking and grabbed the phone out of his hand. "I know who it is and he's a long way from home. Maybe something happened."

Danny's eyes widened. "Don't tell me that's the ghost that's been haunting you since you moved here."

"Yeah, that's my—" Jolene caught herself before she said old man. "That's Jax." She and Danny turned around, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Oh well, you fucked up now. He's gone." Danny said, one hand on his waist. "That gorgeous piece of man meat comes all the way from Happyland—"

"Charming." Jolene corrected.

" _Whatever_. He comes all the way down here from _Charming_ and you don't even stop and talk to him? And now he's gone? There is something wrong with you, honey." Danny admonished her.

Feeling like an idiot for hiding after being made, Jax stepped out from behind the newsstand, causing Jolene to almost drop the coffee carrier she was holding.

"Go." Danny insisted, grabbing the tray with his free hand.

"I can't," Jolene said, unable to force herself to look away from Jax. "We'll be late."

"What's this 'we' business? I'm going to work. _You'll_ be late and, if you're lucky, you'll get laid." Danny nudged her along. "For once, you'll deserve one of Charlotte's verbal reprimands, but oh my glory, something tells me it'll be so worth it. Now, go."

"You're such a snarky bitch, you know that?" Jolene hissed over her shoulder at Danny as she headed towards Jax.

"Better than being a _stupid_ bitch that let's that one slip away!" Danny laughed as he headed in the opposite direction towards the school, precariously balancing two trays of hot coffee.

"Why are you here, Jax?" Jolene stopped a good five feet from him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Something wrong at home?"

Jax was drinking her in, a slight smile curling his lips as he shook his head. "You mean aside from the fact that no one's heard from you in over a month? No, nothing's wrong at home." He replied.

"Good." Jolene gave Jax a tight smile. "I've been busy, but as you can see, I'm still breathing. Since you obviously know where I live, you can tell everyone back home that I'm not living on the streets and that I have a job, which I'm running late for, by the way. I'm working as a teacher's aide while going to school and that's all there is. That's me in a nutshell. Anything else?"

"How about this?" He asked, his hand on his chest. _Is he serious?_ Jolene almost yelled, thinking he meant her broken heart, but thankfully, she quickly realized, he meant her wound.

"Completely healed." Jolene replied. That would have been her response too if he had meant her broken heart instead, even though that was a lie. That wound would never heal.

There was just no possible way for him to ask his next question without sounding like a complete asshole, so fuck it. "Who's your friend?" Jax asked, doing a piss poor job of masquerading his jealousy as he indicated Danny's retreating figure. The same "friend" she had said "I love you" to over the phone earlier.

Thus far, Jolene had managed to contain her shit, even after she realized that he was following her. She could bring herself to overlook the stalking because God only knew how much she had wanted to see him, needed to see him, again, but now he was pushing it.

"That's none of your business." Jolene replied, her eyes challenging him to say otherwise.

Jax laughed to himself. He was always up for a challenge. "You still wearing my crow?"

Jolene barely stopped herself from bringing her hands protectively over her navel. "No." She lied, cursing herself for the slight hesitation she was sure Jax noticed.

"That's what I thought." Jax gave her a cocky grin.

"No. No, and stop looking at me like that!" Jolene demanded, coming real close to stomping her foot. "And so what if I am? Do you realize how expensive it is to get rid of something that big on a teacher's salary? It's meaningless anyway, especially when the man I'm wearing it for was fucking some whore he met on a run!"

Jax shrugged his shoulders and shook his head slightly. "Still, my crow, my pussy."

Shocked, Jolene's eyes widened to twice their normal size. Fuming and completely losing a grip over herself, Jolene threw Danny's phone, which she forgot she was still holding, at Jax. The phone, barely missing his head, whizzed by him and hit the ground in the middle of the street. Shattering into what Jolene estimated were approximately 2,000 tiny pieces, the poor thing suffered the final indignity of being run over by a trolley. So much for containing her shit.

"Crap! See what you made me do?" Jolene accused, her hand on her hip.

Jax was shaking his head. "I didn't make you do shit. All I did was ask a few simple questions."

"Just go away, please." Jolene begged, exasperated, as she walked by Jax to retrieve what was left of her friend's phone.

Like a predator waiting for its prey to let its guard down, Jax grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. Momentarily stunned after slamming into his rock hard torso, Jolene didn't even think to put up a fight. Wrapping her own arm behind her back, their bodies flush against each other, Jax grabbed her face and kissed her. Instantly melting into him, Jolene heard herself release a breathy moan as she ran her free hand over his bearded cheek and into his hair, kissing him back.

"Call in sick." Jax demanded against her mouth, before nipping at her bottom lip. Hating herself for giving in so easy, Jolene nodded. Kissing her one last time, Jax took her by the hand and started walking in the direction of her apartment.

Coming to her senses, Jolene stopped on the corner after crossing the street. "No, dammit, wait." She said. Pulling her hand out of Jax's, Jolene backed away out of his reach. "How dare you? I don't know what's going on with you in Charming, but you are out of your damned mind if you think I'm going from old lady to sweetbutt."

Jax ran his hand through his hair. How could he possibly respond to that? Although that hadn't been his intention while riding to San Diego, the thought had certainly crossed his mind as he had tracked her from her apartment. He wanted her. He wanted her naked and writhing beneath him as he pounded into her. Jax wanted to make love to her so bad he could almost taste her already, and judging from the way she kissed him back, she wanted it, too. Knowing Jolene, it would probably be the angriest, roughest sex they'd ever had, bordering on the painful. He realized how selfish he was being, but Jax knew that if it were up to him, there was no way he was going back to Charming without that happening.

"You'll never be a sweetbutt, Jo. Not mine or anyone else's," Jax started, his conscience not letting him give in to his baser instincts. "But you're not my old lady either. Absolutely nothing can change as a result of us getting together today because this is where you belong, Jolene. Going to school, working, and as far away from me as possible. In spite of how much I want to be with you right now, I can't bring myself to ask you to give into this without putting a label on it because I know that's not what you want."

"How would you know what I want?" Jolene asked bitterly, on the verge of tears. That wasn't what she had wanted to hear. She had been so close to giving in to what they both wanted, but she needed to hear that he still wanted her in his life. "Why would you do this to me, Jax? Why would you come all the way here just to drive home the point that I mean nothing to you?"

"You mean everything to me." Jax stated emphatically.

Jolene shook her head. "No, I don't. All I'm getting from this little scenario right now is that I'm probably pretty awesome in the sack. Or, at the very least, good enough for you to go road tripping hundreds of miles for some pussy, but just not good enough to be your old lady."

"That's not true, darlin'," Jax started, but stopped when he saw her wince at his term of endearment for her.

"Just go, Jax. Go back to Charming and your MC life. Just pretend that I bled out the day I got shot."

"Jolene, don't."

"Why not, Jax? We both know that what we had died that day. You pushed me away and then sealed the deal by humiliation in the form of a stripper from Reno. Call it stubborn Morrow pride, call it whatever you want, but how can I come back from that? Don't make it worse by treating _me_ like road pussy."

Jax closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. She was right. He was embarrassed and ashamed. He was a dick and the only woman he would ever love had just called him out on it. Jax opened his eyes, prepared to apologize. He was prepared to renege on his agreement with Clay and tell her that what he wanted from her was more than just to hit it and quit it. He wanted her back in his life, but Jolene had already turned around and was walking away from him. Again.

* * *

Juice pulled into the lot a day earlier than anyone was expecting him. Because of a long run to Indian Hills and Reno, Jax was unable to make his next bi-weekly surveillance run to San Diego and had asked Juice to go for him instead. Jax wanted Juice to take some pictures of Jolene just so that he could see for himself that she was doing alright. Although always happy to do his former sponsor a favor, Juice had been a little tight when he discovered that Jax had been using information he had been able to gather regarding Jolene to spy on her. Like most of his brothers, especially Bobby, Opie, and Chibs, Juice felt it was fucked up the way Jax had dealt with Jolene during the aftermath of her shooting. Sure, she was Jax's old lady going on four years and he had no say in the matter, but Jolene had been one of the few friends Juice had during his time as a Prospect. Aside from using him as a punching bag, which most of the time he deserved anyway because he loved fucking around with her, Jolene had always been genuine and sweet. It wasn't his place to call out a brother for how he treated his old lady, but Juice promised himself that if the situation ever presented itself, he wouldn't hesitate to take it.

Juice had avoided taking Jax's call earlier in the day because he knew Jax would want an update on Jolene, but what he had to report was best done face-to-face. Juice had hoped that getting back a day early would give him the chance to talk to Bobby first, but seeing Jax's bike parked outside the Clubhouse, Juice realized he wasn't the only one that had cut his trip short. Knowing how the messenger always got screwed in situations like this, Juice took his time making his way to the Clubhouse.

Gemma, having heard the roar of Juice's bike, poked her head out of the office. Seeing Juice drag his ass towards the Clubhouse a day early, Gemma bolted out the door and practically ran to catch up with him.

"Hey," Gemma greeted as she stopped him outside the Clubhouse door, the pinched look on his face making her stomach clench. "What? Is everything okay? Is Jolene okay?"

Juice looked at Gemma for a long time, debating whether he should tell her first considering that Jax was already back in town. Realizing that he was duty-bound to report directly to the man himself, Juice said, "With all due respect, Gem," Juice said. "This is something I have to tell my brother first."

Aw shit, she didn't like the sound of the near squeak in his voice or the look in his eyes, even though hearing Juice speak to her with the authority of a patch member addressing an old lady was a bit of a shock as well. She nodded and Juice continued making his way inside, with Gemma following closely behind.

It was a late Saturday afternoon as Juice walked into a lively Clubhouse. With a new crop of camp-following croweaters making their way to Charming, a party always seemed on the verge of breaking out. Aside from the new pussy, the Clubhouse was crowded with several Club members and hang-arounds. With classic rock blaring in the background, Clay was playing pool with Chibs as Jax warmed his usual spot at the bar next to Piney. Juice shook his head slightly. That stool was quickly becoming Jax's home away from home, usually occupying it until he could barely sit up anymore and some croweater or other had to haul his ass back to his dorm. Although you had to feel sorry for the guy, after all, he really had loved his old lady, Juice could barely muster enough sympathy to fill Jax's shot glass. He had brought this all on himself.

Clay had put his pool cue down the moment Juice entered the Clubhouse and watched as he went behind the bar and grabbed a beer. Jax, in the middle of a conversation with Piney that only the two drunks engaging in could understand, did a double-take and looked at Juice with narrowed, bloodshot eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Jax asked, his brow knitted together.

Juice swallowed half his beer in one gulp. "Can we talk in the Chapel?" Without waiting for an answer, Juice headed in that direction, with Clay and Gemma falling into step behind him. Jax swallowed the remnants of his shot glass. He didn't like the look on Juice's face.

* * *

Standing behind his chair, Juice felt like he was standing in front of a firing squad with Gemma, Clay, and Jax bearing down on him from the opposite side of the table. _Shit, the Teller-Morrows sure make for an intimidating trio_ , Juice thought to himself.

"Jolene's gone."

At first, Jax thought he had heard Juice wrong, but before he could respond, Clay jumped in.

"What the hell do you mean, _she's gone_?" Clay bellowed.

Jax was breathing hard. "Bro, you know where she lives and where she goes to school. Fuck, you even know where she works. How could you possibly not be able to track her?"

Bypassing Jax, Juice looked into the steely eyes of his Club President and replied, "I wasn't tracking her. I went to San Diego with the intention of talking some sense into Jolene. I wasn't going to hide in the shadows like some creepy stalker. I assumed she was there because I saw her Mustang parked in the lot adjacent to her apartment building. I went straight to her place, but she wasn't there. I spoke to the Super and he told me she had moved out a couple of weeks ago. He said that I should speak to Mrs. Johnson, Jolene's neighbor from across the hall. She's also the building's go-to for gossip, a real busybody."

As he listened to Juice speak, Jax felt the void in his chest grow until it was nearly suffocating him. "What did she have to say?"

Juice finally looked Jax in the eyes, which had turned slate grey. "She invited me in, said she was expecting me." Actually, Mrs. Johnson had said she was expecting a "a blond biker boy" to show up, but Juice didn't see the need to pass that nugget along. "She gave me these." Juice reached into his cut and pulled out the keys to Jolene's Mustang. "Jolene told her that somebody would come looking for her and that when they did, to give them her keys as they would know what to do with the car. She said she didn't need it where she was going."

"And where the hell is that?" Jax demanded.

"I don't know, bro. She didn't leave a forwarding address and the old lady didn't have a clue, or if she did, she wasn't talking, which I find highly unlikely. So I went over to the Uni and, using Jolene's class schedule, tracked down one of her classmates, Danny." Juice thought of Jolene's friend, who to his consternation, seemed to be quite enamored with the "hot biker boys from Happyland" and gave up the final bit of Intel he had received. "According to Danny, Jolene quit her job as a teacher's aide and dropped out of the program a couple of weeks back. She left no forwarding address, but there is a bright side."

"Really? And what might that be?" Jax asked angrily, already preparing himself for Clay's fury. This _was_ all his fault. Had he not made contact, all because he let his dick override his common sense—again—Jolene would still be where she needed to be.

"From what I was told, it doesn't look like Jolene's a missing person. She deliberately cut ties with the people she's met and moved on. We can file a missing person's report with the police in San Diego, but once they do an initial investigation, I'm sure they're gonna come to the same conclusion I did—she just decided to move on." Juice explained.

During Juice's debriefing, Gemma had been so shocked, she was silent. Finally finding her voice, Gemma needed her men to get proactive and find her stepdaughter. "So what's the plan for finding her? After all, we are going to find her, right?" She demanded, looking from Clay to Jax and back again. "Clay, it's one thing to let her leave Charming for school. It's something else entirely for her to disappear off the grid like this. Without family, now she has no one."

Clay remorsefully ran his hands over his face. _This is all my fault_ , he thought bitterly. _I should have left well enough alone._ Clay, in his efforts to protect his daughter, had created a situation that was so far from his original plan that he still couldn't grasp just how badly things had turned out. Now his baby girl was out there, fending for herself, and he had no clue as to her whereabouts.

Looking over at Jax, who had turned a sickly green and was sweating pure alcohol, Clay let himself see for the first time the toll losing Jolene had taken on the young man. Realizing, perhaps too late, that he needed to end his battle with Jax over Jolene, Clay reached out and put a meaty hand on his shoulder.

"Son, do whatever it takes to find my baby girl and, when you do, _please_ , bring her home."

* * *

_**Five Months Later** _

It took Jolene a minute, maybe two, before she was able to flip herself over onto her right side. She had woken up before dawn this morning with a massive headache and even now, hours after Ronnie had contacted her doctor for the okay to give her a pain reliever, Jolene's head was still pounding. Something was wrong, Jolene could feel it. Her feet were swollen and now her hands were too, she realized, as she tried to make a fist and couldn't close her hand. It was almost noon and Ronnie was probably still sleeping before her shift at the tattoo parlor, followed by her bartending gig until four a.m.

Jolene grabbed her throbbing head as the thundering roar of an engine shattered the silence of her darkened bedroom. Her eyes flew open as she realized that, no matter how much time had passed, she would always be able to tell the sound of Jax's bike. Jolene managed to pull herself up and out of bed and, by the time she made it to the window, her heart dropped to her knees as she saw the blond biker swagger his way up the walk leading to the front door.

Hastily grabbing her robe draped over the rocking chair next to the window, Jolene struggled to put it on as she headed out of her bedroom, towards the sound of the ringing bell.

Gingerly making her way down the hallway, Jolene saw Ronnie coming out of her bedroom, a victim of really bad bed head. Dressed in a tank and a pair of ratty shorts, and still half-asleep, Ronnie grimaced as she headed towards the persistent ringing of the doorbell that was now joined by a chorus of heavy knocking.

"I don't know who the hell is laying on my door, but I'm about to put my size nine's straight up their ass!" Ronnie growled.

"Ronnie, wait!" Jolene cried in a hushed tone. "It's Jax."

Ronnie's head snapped back around to face her friend. "Are you fuckin' kidding me?"

Jolene braced herself against the couch as she made her way to the wall separating the living room from the foyer. "I saw him through the window." She replied.

"Well, fuck me!" Ronnie ran her hands through her short, blonde spiky hair. "Stay here. I'll get rid of him."

Jolene nodded briefly. As Ronnie turned the corner into foyer of the small house, Jolene winced as another shot of pain pierced her skull.

Ronnie Armstrong strode across the small foyer to her front door. Picking up the steel bat that she kept in the umbrella stand for emergencies, Ronnie made sure that the chain on the door was secured before cracking it open.

Peering out into the bright late-morning sunlight, Ronnie got a full load of Jackson Teller.

 _Damn_ _, God put in a little extra effort when making this one, didn't He?_ Ronnie thought ruefully.

The sexy blond, but menacing biker was standing on her stoop and, in the distance, Ronnie could see the tell-tale bike parked at the foot of her stingy driveway.

Ronnie decided to take the bull by the horns. Removing the chain from the door, Ronnie opened it and leaned against the doorframe. Looking at Jax in the eye, Ronnie smiled sardonically. "Well, if it isn't SAMCRO's favorite Son, Jax Teller." She crossed her arms under her chest. "You know, while I don't mind the occasional visitor, I don't particularly care for people waking me up out of a dead sleep at the ass-end of morning."

Jax cocked his head at Ronnie and flashed his patented Teller smile, which normally worked on all forms of the female persuasion from ages 6 to 60. Ronnie, on the other hand, was unmoved.

Over the past six months, Jax, with help from Juice and with Clay's full support, had tried every avenue possible to track down his old lady with very little success. The trail had not only gone cold, it had iced over. If it hadn't been for Happy reminding him about Jolene's old girlfriend, the one who had finished her crow tat and lived in Seattle, Jax wouldn't have this slim lead, which he hoped would help him finally track down the love of his life. So, as much as Jax prided himself on being a gentleman where women were concerned, there was no way in hell he was going to allow Ronnie's grumpiness at having her sleep interrupted detour him from finding one Jolene Morrow.

"I'm sorry if I woke you up at the crack of Noon," Jax proved he could be just as grumpy. "But it took me some time to track you down. I was hoping that you might be able to help me."

Jolene pressed a balled up fist to her mouth. For the first time in over six months, Jolene was hearing her old man's voice. With just the wall separating her from Jax, it was taking everything she had to keep herself from running to the door and throwing it open. Jolene, with her arms wrapped around herself, bent closer towards the doorway, straining to hear the conversation.

"Let me guess—you're looking for Jolene." Seeing Jax's raised eyebrow and the hope that was in his eyes, Ronnie nodded. "Yes, I'm know that Jolene's gone MIA. But—"

"But?" Jax's shoulders had already slumped.

"But I don't know where she is." Ronnie lied. Looking at the biker, Ronnie felt a stab of pity. It was written all over Jax Teller's face that she had just delivered a stunning blow to the outlaw, but there was nothing she could do about it. Her loyalty was to Jolene and she had to support her, regardless of how irresponsible Ronnie felt Jolene was being by cutting herself off from her ex and her family.

"When was the last time you had any contact with her?" Jax's voice was barely above a whisper, but Jolene heard him, including the hurt in his voice. Wincing as she felt another shooting pain, Jolene strained to hear Ronnie's answer.

"It was about four or five months ago." Ronnie replied. "She told me about how you had shown up in San Diego and how badly things had ended between the two of you. While she didn't tell me in so many words, I kinda gathered that you showing up like that was just too much for her. She decided to bail, start off fresh someplace new. I haven't heard from her since."

Jax rubbed his face with his gloved hand. Although he heard everything that Ronnie had said, he just couldn't bring himself to process it. _She's gone and there's nothing I can do about it_.

Jax finally pulled himself together. "Can you do me a favor?"

Ronnie sighed. "I will, if I can."

Pulling out a little notebook, Jax wrote down his pre-pay number. "If you hear from Jo, would you _please_ give me a call?"

Ronnie held out her hand for the slip of paper. "I can't promise anything, but if I hear from her, I'll try to convince her to contact you."

"Good enough. Thanks for your help, Ronnie" Jax abruptly turned away and headed towards his bike as Ronnie closed the door.

* * *

As the sound of Jax's bike thundered in the distance, Jolene allowed the tears she had been holding back to run down her face. He was gone and she felt like her world was coming to an end all over again. Suddenly, a ripping pain shot across her back to her stomach and Jolene screamed out in agony as her legs gave out and she sunk to the floor.

Running into the living room in a near panic, Ronnie saw Jolene laying on her side, her hands on her extended belly, in a pool of watery blood.

Jolene was breathing rapidly. "My water broke."

Grabbing the phone from its cradle, Ronnie's hands shook violently as she dialed 9-1-1. _That's more than just water_ , Ronnie thought. As soon as the operator came on, Ronnie practically screamed into the phone. "Please, please we need help! I need an ambulance at 295 Crescent Lane." Ronnie tried to calm herself down as she spoke into the phone in a hush tone so that Jolene wouldn't hear her. "My friend's in labor and I think she's bleeding out"

_**~To Be Continued~** _


End file.
